双语新闻：调查人员：渡轮发生事故时船长未掌舵 Investigators:Captain Was Not at Helm of Sunken Ferry

调查人员说，韩国一艘渡轮星期三在南部沿海地区倾覆时，渡轮的船长没有掌舵。

有关官员星期五说，“岁月号”渡轮可能在一次急转弯后开始倾斜并下沉，当时是船长的一名下属在掌舵。

韩国海岸警卫队官员说，目前已有28人确认死亡，但死亡人数预计会大幅上升。搜救人员一直在激流恶水中奋战，找寻目前仍然处于失踪状态的268人。到目前为止，有179人获救。

这艘渡轮载有475名乘客，其中包括首尔附近一所高中的325名学生，他们当时正前往旅游胜地济州岛，准备进行为期四天的游览。

美国总统奥巴马星期四向遇难者家属表示哀悼，并说将在下星期访问韩国期间向死者致哀。

Investigators say the captain of a ferry that capsized off South Korea's southern coast Wednesday was not at the wheel when disaster struck.

Officials said Friday that a junior officer was at the helm when Sewol ferry possibly made a sharp turn and started tilting to the side and sinking.

Coast guard officials say as of midday Friday, 28 people were confirmed dead, although the death toll is expected to rise sharply. Rescuers have fought strong currents and murky waters in their search for 268 people still missing, while 179 passengers have been rescued.

Among the ferry's 475 passengers were 325 students from a high school near Seoul, traveling to a popular resort island for a four-day field trip and sightseeing.

U.S. President Barack Obama has sent his condolences to the families of the victims and said he will pay tribute during a visit to that country next week.