On April 16, 2014, en route from Incheon toward Jeju in South Korea, the ship sank 1.7 miles north of Byeongpundo. There were 476 people on board, of whom only 172 were able to survive. The sinking led to widespread social and political reaction in South Korea. Many people criticized the actions of the ferry captain and most of the crew. The South Korean government's Audit and Inspection Board said the Korean Registry's licensing of the vessel was based on forged documents.