On December 23rd, Korean media reported that a female student who had survived the April Sewol Ferry accident had attempted suicide.
The girl attempted suicide on December 21st by drug overdose and left a note behind saying, “I want to see my friends that were sacrificed.” A family member had found her collapsed and immediately called 119 (Korea’s 911, or emergency number). The girl is 16 years old and a second year student at Danwon High School.
She was transferred to the general ward and has undergone treatment. Her condition was reported as non life-threatening. It has been 8 months since the Sewol Ferry accident, but students that survived are still suffering from insomnia and stress. Experts point out that these students would need at least three years of regular evaluation and counseling in order to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Last April, Korea witnessed one of its worst maritime disasters when the Sewol Ferry capsized. The ferry was mostly carrying high school students who were on a field trip, and out of 325 students only 75 survived.
On November 11th the ferry’s captain, Lee Joon Seok, was sentenced to 36 years in prison. Following that, on November 12th, salvage operations on the ferry began.
Source: MBN News and TODAY Online (Featured Image)
