Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prosecutors in South Korea are demanding the death penalty for the captain of the Sewol ferry that sank in April, with the loss of more than 300 lives.
Captain Lee Joon-seok, 68, has been charged with “homicide through wilful negligence”, while three of his senior officers face life sentences.
It is alleged that the key crew members were negligent in their actions and did not protect passengers when the ferry was sinking on 16 April this year.
Passengers were initially instructed to remain in their cabins when the ship ran into difficulty, but the four officers were among the first to abandon the vessel.
Students on the Sewol, speaking after being rescued, condemned the efforts of the coastguard. One said: “They were outside. They pulled us [onto boats] but they didn't come inside to help. We said to ourselves: ‘Why aren't they coming in?’.”
Another said that it seemed as if there were a greater number of fishermen involved in the rescue than coastguard personnel.
The sinking of the Sewol, which was on a routine voyage, was the deadliest maritime disaster in South Korea for 44 years. It was carrying 476 passengers at the time, most of whom were secondary school students.
An outpouring of grief across the nation followed the tragedy. Criticism was quickly levelled against the government’s handling of the rescue operation and public anger towards the crew has been particularly harsh.
The direct cause of the ship’s sinking is unclear, but it is thought that a sudden turn is to blame. Overloading of the vessel was also suggested as a potential cause, by the off-duty captain.
Additional Reporting AP
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments