SEOUL, Oct. 27 -- South Korean prosecutors on Monday demanded a death penalty for the captain of sunken Sewol ferry, who has been strongly criticized for abandoning passengers and among the first to be rescued.

The Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office sought the capital punishment for 69-year-old Lee Joon-seok on charges of leading more than 300 people, mostly high-school students, to death as he did nothing to rescue the passengers while the ill-fated ship capsized and sank off the southwestern coast on April 16.

Only 174 people were rescued, and 294 others have been confirmed dead. Ten people still remained missing.

Prosecutors also asked a district court in the southern city of Gwangju to sentence three crew members, including the first mate, the second mate and chief engineer, to life in prison.

Prison terms from 15 years to 30 years were sought against 11 other crew members, including the third mate and helmsman.