Sewol ferry skipper gets 36-year prison sentence
The captain of the South Korean ferry that sank in April, killing more than 300 mostly teenaged passengers has been handed down a 36-year prison sentence.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty of Lee Joon-sook, who had abandoned the overloaded ferry while hundreds of passengers and crew remained trapped inside.
However, the court in the city of Gwangju found 68-year-old Lee not guilty of murder but guilty of a lesser charge of gross negligence and dereliction of duty.
The overloaded Sewol ferry had capsized while making a turn during a voyage to the holiday island of Jeju.
Only 172 out of 476 passengers were rescued and almost seven months later, nine people are still unaccounted for.
In the death toll, 250 were students from the same high school.
Thirteen surviving crew members were found guilty of various charges and given sentences ranging from five to 30 years in prison.
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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.
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