Parents wept and screamed when a judge sentenced a South Korean ferry Capt. Lee Joon-seok to 36 years in prison Tuesday, reports Yahoo News.

Earlier this year, Capt. Joon-seok and 14 other crew members abandoned passengers, mostly high school students, when their ferry sank. The negligence resulted in the death of more than 300 people.

Investigators also determined the Sewol Ferry exceeded cargo limits, which may have contributed to the ship sinking.

The eagerly awaited verdict came on the same day authorities ceased searches for the final nine victims. Victims' relatives reacted with outrage and declared that the sentences for the captain and his crew were too lenient.

Joon-seok, 69, was acquitted of homicide, which could have resulted in a death sentence, but the Gwangju District Court in southern South Korea concluded in its verdict that he had issued an evacuation order, left the ship after rescue boats arrived. The court also determined that there wasn't sufficient proof that he knew his actions would result in an exceptionally large loss of life.

The ferry passengers were students on a school trip to a southern island. Student survivors claim they were repeatedly told by a loudspeaker to stay onboard the sinking ferry. They don't recall an evacuation order being given at any time before they helped each other leave the vessel.

Lee told court officials he issued an evacuation order but had told reporters days following his arrest that he withheld the evacuation order because rescuers had not arrived and he feared the cold, swift waters would be unsafe for the passengers.

More than six months after the ferry sank, South Korea still struggles with retaliations over claims that corruption, greed, a lack of interest in safety and incompetence by authorities, government regulators, the ship's owners and crew led to the victims' tragic demise.

A Justice Ministry official said the captain will be eligible for parole after serving one-third of his prison sentence, according to Yahoo News.

The ship's chief engineer, Park Ki-ho, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The court convicted Ki-ho of homicide because he abandoned two injured crew members and did not tell rescuers about them once he escaped the sinking ship, knowing they would die without help.

The 13 other crew members received sentences of between five years and 20 years in prison.

Victims' relatives said in a statement they will request prosecutors appeal the ruling.

Prosecutors and the crew members have one week to appeal.

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