Sewol ferry captain admits to ‘grave crime’
The captain of the Sewol ferry which sank off South Korea claiming the lives of 304 people has admitted responsibility for a ‘grave crime.’
In court, Captain Lee Joon-seok apologized for his actions but laid the blame for the disaster with the ship’s owners Chonghaejin Marine Company.
The captain and some crew were among the first to evacuate the sinking ship while other passengers remained trapped inside.
Lee had earlier said in court he had been in a ‘confused’ state of mind during the evacuation.
Lee and three other crew members are facing murder charges and if convicted could face the death penalty.
A separate trial is being held for company officials who have been charged with overseeing illegal modifications and overloading of the ship.
Six months on, 294 bodies have been recovered from the wreck but 10 passengers are still officially reported missing.
Most of the dead were high school students travelling to Jeju Island on a school trip.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements