The South Korean ferry that sank on Wednesday was steered by
an inexperienced third mate who had never navigated the challenging waters
where the accident occurred, prosecutors say.
The third mate is in custody along with the captain and
another crew member.
Coastguards confirmed on Saturday that divers had retrieved
three bodies from the ferry, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 36.
Some 174 passengers have been rescued, with another 266
still missing.
Recovery operations may take two months, officials say, as
the divers battle strong currents and poor visibility to reach the sunken
vessel.
"Divers broke through the window of a passenger
cabin... and pulled out three bodies," a coastguard official told the AFP
news agency on Saturday.
All three were wearing lifejackets, he added.
The Sewol, carrying 476 passengers and crew, capsized during
a journey from the port of Incheon in the north-west to the southern holiday
island of Jeju.
Ferry captain Lee Joon-seok, 69 - who was not initially on
the bridge - faces charges including negligence of duty and violation of
maritime law.
'Unfamiliar' waters
Late on Saturday prosecutors said that the third mate had
been steering the ferry in waters that were unfamiliar to her.
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