Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for South Korean ferry captain

28 bodies recovered as rescuers struggled to find about 270 people still missing and feared dead.

South Korean prosecutors have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain of the ferry that sank two days ago, leaving hundreds missing and feared dead.

Prosecutors said on Friday that they have also requested arrest warrants for two other crewmembers.

The investigation into the ferry disaster has focussed on the sharp turn it took just before it started listing and whether a quicker evacuation order by the captain could have saved lives. Investigators are also determining whether the captain abandoned the ship.

Rescuers are struggling to find about 270 people still missing and feared dead.

At least 28 bodies have been recovered. Officials said there were 179 survivors and about 270 people remain missing, many of them high school students

Divers enter capsized ferry

Earlier, four rescue divers entered a capsized ferry in South Korea Friday in search of passengers, the broadcaster KBS reported.

The divers made their way into the Sewol’s cafeteria at 10:05 (0105 GMT), the report said.

“It seems like bodies have begun to spill out of the sunken ship due to current shifts,” Yonhap quoted an official as saying.

All bodies recovered to date were found floating in the sea rather than being recovered from the wreck of the ferry.

Vice-principal found hanging

Police said a high school vice-principal, who had been rescued from the ferry has been found hanging from a tree.

A police officer said the vice-principal, identified only by his surname Kang, was found dead on the island of Jindo where rescued passengers have taken shelter.

The Sewol sank on Wednesday while travelling from Incheon near the capital Seoul to the southern resort island of Jeju.