South Korea Ferry Crew Indicted on Homicide Charges
The full crew of the South Korean ferry that sunk last month has been indicted on charges of varying severity.
.The full crew of the South Korean ferry that sunk last month has been indicted on charges of varying severity.
Four of the 15 charged, including the captain, were brought in on manslaughter charges (South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency specifically writes “murder” but multiple Western outlets have cited manslaughter—likely a translation issue). The four charged with homicide are the 68-year-old ship captain Lee Joon-seok, the chief engineer, and the chief and second mates. All four are accused of fleeing the ship while telling passengers to remain in place. They face life imprisonment if convicted.
BREAKING: South Korean court: Prosecutors indict 15 crew members over ferry disaster, 4 on homicide charges.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 15, 2014The 11 other surviving crew members have been charged with negligence.
The death toll of the ship sinking currently stands at 281 dead, with 23 still missing.
Under fire for their response to the catastrophe, President Park Geun-hye said that the government would soon release reformed safety and emergency management procedures in the wake of the disaster.