The South Korea ferry to Jeju island tragedy left grieving families who felt that something could have been done to save those who were trapped in the vessel. Last Wednesday morning (April 16), the South Korea ferry to Jeju island carrying 300 people capsized.

Most of the passengers were students who were supposed to visit the famed island for a field trip. Some of the students managed to send text messages to their families before the ferry completely sank.

Yahoo News has posted some of the heartbreaking messages sent by the high school pupilsL

"Sending this in case I may not be able to say this again. Mom, I love you," wrote Shin Young-Jin who was later rescued.

Other text messages described the situation that was taking place prior to the ship's sinking:

"Dad, don't worry. I'm wearing a life vest and am with other girls. We're inside the ship, still in the hallway," a girl with the last name Shin texted her father.

When her father urged her to try to escape, she replied: "Dad, I can't. The ship is too tilted. The hallway is crowded with so many people."

It was her last message. Another 16-year-old student Kim Woong-Ki tried to ask his brother for help for her room was "tilting 45 degrees". Despite his panic, Woong-Ki's brother reassured her that help's coming. However, there's no news yet about the girl.

Another distraught mother recalled that her son told her that "the ship was tilted over and he couldn't see anything."

As per reports, the crew members ordered the passengers to stay put. This resulted to passengers being unable to escape. Relatives accuse vessel captain Lee Joon-seok and his crew members to be among the first ones who left the ferry.

One crew member named Park Ji-young died after helping several children in wearing their life jackets.

Joon-seok is currently facing criminal investigation though the vessel owner defended him by highlighting his experience: "He is a veteran captain who has run such passenger ferry between Incheon and Jeju for 20 years."

Authorities are checking for possible negligence on the crew's part as well as possible defencts on the vessel. The 69-year-old captain and the company already issued an emotional apology for the accident though none of them admitted that they were responsible for the sinking.