4 crew of Sewol ferry indicted for manslaughter

Agence France-Presse

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4 crew of Sewol ferry indicted for manslaughter

STRINGER

(UPDATED) The confirmed death toll now stands at 281, with 23 still missing

SEOUL, South Korea (UPDATED) – The captain and 3 other crew members of the ferry that sank off South Korea last month were indicted Thursday, May 15, on charges of manslaughter through gross negligence, Yonhap news agency reported.

If convicted, Captain Lee Joon-Seok of the Sewol ferry, two navigators and a chief engineer could face the death sentence.

They are accused of leaving the ship as it was sinking while telling passengers, mostly high school students on a school excursion, to stay where they were.

The 4 and 11 other low-ranking crew members are accused of being the first to escape to safety, leaving passengers trapped in the sinking vessel.

Coastguard spokesman Ko Myung-Suk said Thursday that a further 5 bodies were retrieved late Wednesday, including one found floating on the surface.

The confirmed death toll now stands at 281, with 23 still missing.

The Sewol was carrying 476 people when it sank on April 16 after listing sharply to one side.  – Rappler.com

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