A woman in her 40s died after walking to a tidal island in Incheon known for its “Miracle of Moses” phenomenon, where a sand path appears during low tide. A court has ruled in favor of her family, ordering the local district office to pay compensation.
The Seoul High Court ordered Ongjin District on Monday to pay about 26 million won ($19,000) to the woman’s family, who filed a lawsuit claiming negligence.
The incident occurred on Jan. 19, 2021, when the woman traveled from Seoul to Seonjae Island using public transportation. At around 3:30 p.m., she walked toward Mok Island, which is temporarily connected to Seonjae Island by a sandbar during low tide. The area is popular with tourists who want to see then sand path emerge at the sea recedes, resembling the biblical parting of the Red Sea.
However, as the tide rose, the sand path disappeared and Mok Island became isolated. The woman was unable to return and died in the rising water.
At the time of the incident, no warning signs were installed to alert visitors of the dangers posed by the changing tides, the court found.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
