were half a meter high. Water temperature was 11.7 Celsius degrees, under which conditions a human body can endure only one to two hours.

"Murder"

President Park likened what the captain and some crew members of the sunk ferry did to "murder" on Monday, vowing to force those responsible to shoulder legal responsibilities, regardless of their ranks.

The ship, built in Japan in 1994, was modified by its operator to expand passenger cabins, raising the total capacity including crew by 116 people to 956.

The 476 passengers aboard the ship were about half the maximum capacity, but it was offset by an overloaded cargo. The vessel was carrying 180 cars and trucks and 1,157 tons of freight, far exceeding the reported figure of 150 vehicles and 657 tons of goods.

When the ship began listing heavily, the 69-year-old captain was not at the helm, and the wheel was controlled by the 25-year-old third mate who steered the ship in the rough waters for the first time.

Some crew members, including the captain, abandoned the vessel as it was sinking as many of the passengers were told to stay in their cabins.

The captain and several other crew members have been arrested on negligence and other charges.