[JURIST] A South Korean court sentenced the captain of the ferry Sewol to 36 years in jail after being found guilty of negligence. He was acquitted of homicide [BBC report] for which prosecutors had sought the death penalty. The Sewol ferry capsized in April, killing 304 passengers, on a routine voyage to the island of Jeju. It was found to be defective, and also overloaded with excess cargo and not enough water in the ballast tank to maintain balance. Video footage showed the crew abandoning ship after instructing passengers, the majority of whom were school students, to stay in their cabins. Thirteen surviving crew members were found guilty of various charges and received prison terms ranging from five to 20 years.

Executives of the ferry operator and shipping regulators remain on trial for various charges of negligence. There were concerns over whether the crew would receive fair trials due to the public outcry following the video footage. Prosecutors charged four of the crew members with homicide. Only one was found guilty on this count, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.