By
Rebecca Gibson |
Fifteen crew members appeared in court on 10 June facing charges of criminal negligence after the Sewol ferry capsized off the South Korean coast in April 2014, killing hundreds of passengers.
Appearing before three judges at the Gwangju District Court, Sewol’s captain Lee Joon-seok and three senior crew members were charged with homicide due to wilful negligence and face a maximum sentence of death. Two crew members were charged with fleeing and abandoning ship, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and nine were charged with negligence, which can also carry jail terms. Lee pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.
Sewol was reportedly carrying around 476 passengers when she capsized and sank near Jeju island on South Korea’s south-west coast. Around 179 passengers and crew were rescued, while divers have since recovered around 292 bodies. The remaining missing passengers are presumed dead.
Prosecutors reportedly submitted nearly 2,000 pieces of evidence to the court for review and focused on the conduct of the crew during the emergency. Witness reports claim that Captain Lee Joon-seok was absent from the bridge, while a third mate who had never navigated the waters near to Jeju island was at the helm when the ferry began listing. Questions have also been raised about why the crew left the vessel while passengers were still onboard and whether an earlier evacuation order could have saved lives.
In addition, prosecutors raised concerns about whether recent modifications to add space for 117 extra passengers had affected the balance of the vessel and accused the crew of overloading the ship with insufficiently secured cargo.
Authorities are still searching for Yoo Byung-eun, the alleged chairman of Chonghaejin Marine Company that operated Sewol, after he failed to respond to an official court summons. More than 6,000 police raided the Anseong compound of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Korea, of which Yoo is a leading member, but were unable to find him. Four of the church’s followers were detained on charges of assisting his escape.
The raid comes after mounting pressure from President Park Geun-Hye, who called for a nationwide hunt during a cabinet meeting. Police have now offered around US$500,000 as a reward for information about Yoo’s whereabouts.
Yoo is wanted for questioning on possible charges of embezzlement, tax fraud and criminal negligence, while prosecutors are investigating whether corruption and mismanagement within the company led to regulatory violations and poor safety standards.
Police have arrested executives employed by the ferry operator and subsidiaries of the investment firm held by Yoo’s family but they have yet to be brought to trial. Warrants have also been issued for his daughter and his two sons.
South Korea’s coastguard, which is set to be broken up, is also facing investigation for suspected negligence in the course of the rescue operation. South Korea’s government has also been criticised for mishandling the rescue and for allowing ferry companies to run unsafe operations.