The teacher in charge of the hundreds of pupils caught in the South Korean ferry disaster killed himself because ‘surviving alone is too painful’, according to a note found in his wallet.
In his poignant last words, Kang Min-Gyu said he hoped he would become a teacher once again in the afterlife for his charges whose bodies had not been recovered.
The 52-year-old was found dead days after he and 75 of his young charges managed to escape from the stricken ferry Sewol as it sank off the south coast of Korea.
‘I take full responsibility’: Kang Min-Gyu, 52, who is believed to have hanged himself in shame after surviving the ferry disaster – more than 300 of his pupils were on board when it went down off Korea’s south coast
Fourteen of the schoolchildren have been confirmed dead and another 236 remain unaccounted for, as dive crews today began pulling corpses from the vessel.
Police found Mr Kang, deputy head of Danwon high school, Seoul, hanging by his belt from a tree early yesterday afternoon, just outside the gymnasium where families of the victims were staying.
After initially claiming he had left no suicide note, police later released part of a two-page letter they said was found in his wallet.
It said: ‘Surviving alone is too painful while 200 remain unaccounted for. I take full responsibility. I pushed ahead with the school trip.’
The note added: ‘Burn my body and scatter my ashes at the site of the sunken ferry. Perhaps I can become a teacher for the missing students in my next life.’
‘I will once again become a teacher in the afterlife for my students whose bodies have not been discovered.’
Police cut down the teacher and his body was taken to the nearby Jindo funeral parlour where it was cremated, the Telegraph reported.
Waiting: He was found hanged outside this gym, where relatives are waiting for news of the missing
Search: Rescuers are still searching for victims. This inflatable buoy marks the position of the wreckage
The Sewol sank off South Korea’s southern coast on Wednesday with 476 people aboard, most of them pupils on holiday from a single high school.
More than 270 people are still missing, and most are believed to be trapped inside the 6,852-ton vessel.
The confirmed death toll from the Sewol disaster has now reached 32, after divers working in tough conditions finally managed to reach the inside of the ship and begin pulling out bodies.
The ferry’s captain, Lee Joon-seok, 68, was arrested this morning along with one of the Sewol’s three helmsmen and the 25-year-old third mate.
Lee has been charged under maritime law with negligence and failing to ensure the safety of his passengers. He has faced fierce criticism for abandoning ship while so many were left on board.
Many found themselves trapped below decks as water flooded in after he delayed the order to evacuate the vessel because of cold waters and strong currents.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2608337/Surviving-painful-I-teacher-afterlife-Grief-stricken-teacher-killed-surviving-South-Korean-ferry-disaster-students-drowned-left-heartbreaking-note.html#ixzz2zR9JU5b1
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