By Honorary Reporter Alaa Abdel Aty from Egypt

Photos= Korea.net DB

April 16 marks the sixth anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry, which was en route from Incheon to Jeju Island. This piece honors the late Choi Duk-ha, a junior at Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do Province, who was the first to report that the ferry was sinking to maritime authorities. Thanks to the selfless call by this hero, maritime police received precious extra time to rescue 174 passengers on the ill-fated vessel by dispatching rescue boats and helicopters.

How have you been? It's been six years since your absence. Time really flies. I always think about you since the day I got to know of you through international newspapers. As the sad day of the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry approaches, you cross my mind more and more.

Unfortunately, a deadly pandemic is sweeping the world, and that prevents us from gathering to commemorate your death. Though the tragic scene of that day is burned into the minds of Koreans, especially parents, the coronavirus has snapped up media attention, while the rest of the news is little remembered. But don't worry, dear, we won't forget you. Thus I am writing this.

Duk-ha, did you know that Egypt and Korea share similar historical events and tragedies? One disaster happened when I was in middle school. While everyone in Egypt was watching the national soccer team play in the final of the 2006 African Cup of Nations against Cote d'Ivoire, many others wrestled with the darkness of the night and rough waves of the sea that eventually swallowed them. That year, Egypt's biggest maritime disaster occurred, as the sinking of the ferry Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 resulted in 1,034 dead. The 388 survivors were rescued after struggling to survive in the cold waters of the Red Sea that was infested with predatory sharks. Hearing of this tragic incident made me wish I had superpowers so that I could bring the ship out of the sea to safety. But as you know, there are no superheroes in this world but real heroes. They are human beings like us, and they have special hearts like you.

April 16 this year marks the sixth anniversary of the tragedy of the Sewol ferry, the biggest maritime disaster in modern Korean history, that killed 304 people, including 250 students of Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do Province, who were going on a field trip to Jeju Island. The ferry sank off the southwest coast, and its passengers didn't know that their trip would make history. Only 172 of the 476 passengers survived. The last minutes before the ferry sank saw the children say farewell to their parents, with words full of fear, before they were suddenly taken by death, leaving the country in severe mourning.

Don't worry about your dear friends. The ship was carrying other heroes who saved others, and like you, they became stars in the sky to shine forever in Korean history.

Survivors talked about the courage of Park Ji-young, a part-time ferry employee who helped passengers escape and tended to the injured. She is said to have refused to leave the ship while passengers were still aboard. She died while ensuring that all passengers on the vessel's third and fourth floors wore life jackets and pushed them toward the exits while the water reached her chest. She also gave her own life jacket to one of your friends.

Other survivors recounted the bravery of crew member Kim Ki-woong and his fiancée Jeong Hyun-seon, who also worked on the ferry. As the ship was sinking, they yelled to passengers to get out. "Then the couple went back to the cabins to save other passengers, and they never came back," The Korea Times reported.

Dear Duk-ha, are you calm now that you know that many of your friends were saved? Let's remember those noble souls by their names. Let's wish them peace and tranquility. And let's not forget that tragedy so it will never recur.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.