Cheonan captain describes incident

2010-03-28 09:18 BJT

 

With the rescue operation to locate the South Korean ship's missing crew members still underway, the captain of the Cheonan, Choi Won-il, has described the chronology of events.

Choi Won-il, Captain of the Cheonan, said, "As I was planning the next day's operating schedule in the captain's cabin, the ship shifted to the right by about 90 degrees, and there was the sound of a bang. At the same time, the generators, and all communication and contacts, were cut off Several crew members smashed the cabin door with a hammer and rescued me, then I went up and saw that half of our ship was already gone."

A South Korean Joint Chiefs spokesman says the military will issue a judgment on the cause of the accident once rescue teams have salvaged the vessel for analysis.

Choi Won-il (L), survived captain of the sunken ship Cheonan, speaks during a briefing for relatives of the 46 missing navy sailors, in Pyeongtaek south of Seoul March 27, 2010. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won
Choi Won-il (L), survived captain of the sunken ship Cheonan,
speaks during a briefing for relatives of the 46 missing navy
sailors, in Pyeongtaek south of Seoul March 27, 2010.
REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won

Editor: Zhang Pengfei | Source: CCTV.com