South Korean ferry captain convicted in fatal capsizing

November 11, 2014
Mariah Timms
News Writer
World

The captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized in April was sentenced Tuesday to 36 years in prison. Lee Joon-seok was found guilty of violating “seamen’s law” and abandonment causing death and injury, although he was acquitted of a murder charge. Prosecutors urged a death sentence for Lee, who left the boat before it capsized, reports CNN. The ferry’s chief engineer, Park Gi-ho, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 30 years, and the remaining 13 crew members were each sentenced five to 20 years. Amid calls from the public for a retrial, the South Korean government has said it may appeal the decisions. Nine people remain missing from the incident, and more than 300 died when the boat sank. Nearly 250 of the dead were high school students on a field trip. Many of these students communicated with their parents as the ship went down.