Captain not at helm during wreck

A state prosecutor says that Captain Lee Joon Suk was not in the steering room when the ferry “Sewol” began listing and then flipped over for reasons that are still unclear, although there are unconfirmed reports that the vessel became unbalanced when it made a sharp turn that forced vehicles and cargo on board to shift.

Lee was among 179 people rescued soon after the accident.  Twenty-five are confirmed dead and 271 are still missing.  When seen coming out of a South Korean Coast Guard office, his head and face covered, the captain told reporters, “I am sorry, I am at a loss for words,” and then broke down in tears.