For three minutes and 36 seconds after 8:48 Wednesday morning, the tracking record for the Sewol-ho ferry was apparently not connected and not providing information.
But the Ministry of Fisheries has restored the record using data from the Mokpo Automatic Identification System base station.
It shows nothing in the first 36 seconds, and a ministry official said the Sewol-ho ferry could have experienced a blackout during this time.
They believe the AIS device might have been disconnected for that period of time, but restored later using emergency batteries.
After that missing 36-second period passes, the tracking record shows that the Sewol-ho ferry had slowly started turning starboard, and then abruptly turned 45 degrees.
The official says the events probably unfolded after the ship veered suddenly.
At the time of accident, the ferry was traveling at a normal speed of 17 knots, and was about to turn the stern 10 degrees heading into a treacherous waterway.
The maritime ministry added that they need to investigate further to see if the capsize was caused due to the reduced dynamic stability of the vessel.
If there was an electrical blackout, it could indicate a defect on the ferry, and another possible cause of the accident.
But the Ministry of Fisheries has restored the record using data from the Mokpo Automatic Identification System base station.
It shows nothing in the first 36 seconds, and a ministry official said the Sewol-ho ferry could have experienced a blackout during this time.
They believe the AIS device might have been disconnected for that period of time, but restored later using emergency batteries.
After that missing 36-second period passes, the tracking record shows that the Sewol-ho ferry had slowly started turning starboard, and then abruptly turned 45 degrees.
The official says the events probably unfolded after the ship veered suddenly.
At the time of accident, the ferry was traveling at a normal speed of 17 knots, and was about to turn the stern 10 degrees heading into a treacherous waterway.
The maritime ministry added that they need to investigate further to see if the capsize was caused due to the reduced dynamic stability of the vessel.
If there was an electrical blackout, it could indicate a defect on the ferry, and another possible cause of the accident.
