South Korean Ferry Captain Says Frigid Waters Delayed Evacuation

The captain of the South Korean ferry that sank Wednesday, leaving 300 people missing or dead, said Saturday that he had feared passengers would be swept away in frigid seawater if he had issued an evacuation order too quickly.

Speaking to reporters on live television after his arrest for negligence of duty and other charges, the captain, Lee Joon-seok, apologized to the South Korean public for "causing a disturbance."

"I bow my head in apology to the families of the victims," Lee said, according to a translation by the BBC.

Survivors have said that they were repeatedly told to stay in place over the course of 50 minutes as the ship listed and began to submerge. Many of those who made it off the ferry said they disobeyed those orders and moved to higher decks or jumped into the water. Read more...