MOSCOW, October 27 (RIA Novosti) – South Korean prosecutors are seeking capital punishment for the captain of the capsized ferry Sewol for abandoning his passengers when the boat sunk.
69-year-old Lee Joon-seok has been indicted on charges of murdering 304 passengers, as he was the first to be rescued as the ferry was sinking off South Korea's southern coast on April 16.
Prosecutors have also asked the Gwangju District Court to sentence three crew members, including the ferry’s first mate Kang Won-sik, second mate Kim Young-ho, and chief engineer Park Gi-ho, to life in prison for their conduct during the disaster, according to the New York Times.
Prison terms ranging from 15 years to 30 years were demanded against 11 other crew members, who have been charged with criminal negligence and the violation of a ship safety act. According to Reuters, some of the crew members of South Korea's worst maritime disaster in 44 years drank beer while waiting for rescue.
On April 16, Lee and other crew members escaped from the sinking vessel, reportedly without taking any appropriate measures to evacuate the passengers.
Investigators have vowed to prove the charges that the sailors’ actions were intentional and that their behavior caused the deaths of those on board.
Some families of the victims have recently asked the prosecution to seek the maximum sentence allowed by law for Lee.
