South Korea prosecutors have charged the captain and three other crew members of the ferry that capsized and killed more than 240 passengers last month with manslaughter.
Officials said Thursday the four crew members are accused of leaving the sinking ship while telling passengers to stay put. Earlier this month, the confirmed death toll reached 244, with 58 still missing. Nearly 175 people survived. The 6,800-ton ferry Sewol capsized and sank on April 16. Passengers included 325 students from the same high school who were on a field trip to the southwest island of Jeju.
The disaster shocked and angered South Korea. Widespread criticism was directed at the ship’s crew for abandoning the overloaded vessel before an evacuation was fully under way. Last week, South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited the families of passengers still missing. The South Korean leader pledged to severely punish those responsible for the disaster. -voanews
