Ferry captain says delay caused by lack of rescue ships

The arrested captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized with 476 people on board said on Saturday he had delayed evacuating the ship because of the sea conditions and the absence of rescue ships.

Lee Joon-seok and two of his crew were taken into police custody in the early hours of the morning, charged with negligence and failing to secure the safety of passengers in violation of maritime law.

During his police arraignment, during which he stood, head bowed, in a hooded raincoat, Lee was asked by TV reporters why passengers had been ordered to remain in their seats and cabins for more than 40 minutes after the ferry first sent a distress signal just before 9am local time on Wednesday.

"At the time a rescue ship had not arrived. There were also no fishing boats around there for rescues or other ships to help," Lee said.

"The currents were very strong and water was cold at that time in the area.

"I thought that passengers would be swept far away and fall into trouble if they evacuated thoughtlessly without wearing lifejackets.

"It would have been the same even if they did wear lifejackets," he said.

Furious relatives of the hundreds of passengers still missing – most of them schoolchildren –believe many more would have escaped if they had moved to evacuation points before the ship listed sharply and water started flooding in.

Divers reported seeing three bodies in the ship on Saturday but were not able to retrieve them. The number of missing stands at 273 with 29 confirmed dead. Some 174 passengers were rescued.

Rescue operations are continuing for a fourth day but officials say visibility is poor and strong currents are making the work difficult.

The captain faces charges including negligence of duty and violation of maritime law.

Investigations are focusing on a sharp turn the vessel took before it started listing and whether an evacuation order could have saved lives.

Footage from the ship appeared to show instructions from crew members for passengers to remain onboard even as it tilted dramatically to one side.

The ferry Sewol was sailing from Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju. It capsized and sank within two hours.