The South Korean captain who abandoned a ferry as it sank in April which claimed the lives of more than 300 people has been sentenced to 36 years in prison.
Captain Lee Joon Seok aged 65 was found guilty of professional negligence. Judge Lim Joung Youb said Lee could have saved many more lives had he tried to evacuate the passengers before abandoning the Sewol.
Most of the passengers were high school students on a class trip. 476 people were on-board but only 172 survived the April 16 sinking, it is recorded as South Korea's worst maritime disaster in more than four decades.
Many prosecutors weren't pleased with the sentencing because they demanded the death penalty for Lee, saying he deliberately avoided issuing an evacuation order because he was worried the passengers would hamper his escape.
The Captain denied the homicide charge, which was also rejected by the court.
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