Reports: South Korean ferry was carrying three times more cargo than normal

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Reports: South Korean ferry was carrying three times more cargo than normal
(Image credit: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Reports from South Korean newspaper Korea Joongang Daily released this morning show that the South Korean ferry that capsized and killed at least 226 people was dangerously overloaded.

The ship's first mate told the paper that the vessel was carrying three times more cargo than normal. The Sewol had a maximum capacity of 987 tons, but it was allegedly hauling 3,608 tons of weight.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.