14 DAY TRIAL // The number of fatalities continues to climb since the South Korean ferry MV Sewol sank last week – now ascending to 108 – and the country's president Park Geun-hye says the actions of the ship's crew were “tantamount to an act of murder.”
The president's statement comes after it has emerged that an inexperienced junior officer, and not the captain, was actually at the helm of the passenger vessel when it capsized off the country’s south-west coast, and that some of the crew members abandoned the ship after it began sinking without efficiently helping passengers.
“The actions of the captain and some crew members were utterly incomprehensible, unacceptable and tantamount to murder. [...] Above all, the conduct of the captain and some crew members is unfathomable from the viewpoint of common sense, and it was like an act of murder that cannot and should not be tolerated,” Ms. Park said, as reported by Metro.
“The captain did not comply with passenger evacuation orders from the vessel traffic service… and escaped ahead of others while telling passengers to keep their seats.”
As we have reported last week, the ferry was carrying 477 passengers, 339 of which were students and teachers from a high school near Seoul on their way to Jeju Island as part of a school trip.
According to the Time, divers have found additional paths to enter the submerged ferry and managed to recover a total of 49 bodies on Monday and Tuesday. However, 194 passengers are still missing, so the final death toll is expected to be much higher.
Currently, more than 200 rescue boats, 35 aircraft, 13 fishing boats and more than 600 personnel are involved in the search effort.
Captain Lee Joon-seok and other six crew members have been arrested in relation to what is considered one of South Korea’s worst maritime disasters. Four of them have already been charged with negligence of duty and violating maritime law, while the others are pending arraignment.
The captain tried to apologize earlier this week, saying, “I’m really sorry and deeply ashamed. I don’t know what to say.” He could be facing life in prison for his actions.
Moreover, the family who owns the ferry has been banned from leaving the country until the investigation comes to an end.
Meanwhile, the vice principal of Danwon High School, Kang Min-kyu, was found hanging from a tree outside the school’s gym, after being rescued in the terrible accident.
The unfortunate incident has sparked a nationwide debate over maritime safety and the government’s ability to respond to disasters.