S/Korea leader apologises over ferry disaster
Investigators, meanwhile, are expanding their probe into both the cause of the ship’s sinking and the initial response by emergency workers, according to AP news agency.
Only 174 people survived the sinking, including 22 of the 29 crew members.
All 15 crew members responsible for the ship’s navigation have been arrested, but they have not been formally charged yet because investigations are still going on.
The arrested crew members are accused of negligence and of failing to help passengers in need. Lee Joon-seok, the ship’s captain, initially told passengers to stay in their rooms and took half an hour to issue an evacuation order, by which time the ship was tilting too severely for many people to get out.
Lee said after his arrest that he withheld the evacuation order because rescuers had yet to arrive and he feared for passengers’ safety in the cold, swift water.