Death sentence demanded for South Korean sunken ferry captain

South Korean prosecutors Monday demanded a death penalty for the captain of the Sewol ferry that sank in April, killing more than 300 people.

Lee Joon-seok, 69, was indicted on charges of murdering more than 300 passengers as he was the first to be rescued as the ill-fated ship was sinking off South Korea's southern coast April 16, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Prosecutors also asked a district court to sentence three crew members, including the first mate, to life in prison for the same charge.

Prison terms ranging from 15 years to 30 years were demanded against 11 other crew members, including the first engineer, who have been charged with abandonment and violation of a ship safety act.

Of the total number of people on board, only 174 were rescued while the others, mostly high school students on a school trip, perished with some 10 people still listed as missing.