Prosecutors have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain of the South Korean ferry that sank two days ago, leaving hundreds missing and feared dead.

Prosecutors said today that they have also requested arrest warrants for two other crew members.

The investigation into the ferry disaster has focused on the sharp turn it took just before it started listing and whether a quicker evacuation order by the captain could have saved lives.

Investigators are also determining whether the captain abandoned the ship.

Rescuers are struggling to find about 270 people still missing and feared dead.

At least 28 bodies have been recovered.

Officials said there were 179 survivors and about 270 people remain missing, many of them high school students.

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