Air Force captain dies of injuries from naval boat joyride

An Air Force captain has died in a hospital from injuries he suffered when a naval boat capsized on a prohibited sightseeing ride four days ago, military officials said Wednesday.

The captain, who is only identified by his surname Lee, suffered from severe lung injuries when the boat overturned in waters off Taean, a coastal town about 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, after hitting an underwater rock while returning from fishing in a foggy area on Saturday.

Of the 15 people aboard who were all rescued, one still remains unconscious and others had light injuries. At that time, the passengers, including five military officers, had a family get-together at a military resort near Taean, according to the officials.

"Captain Lee died of serious damage to his lungs at 1:47 a.m. today," said a military official.

The accident has dealt a further blow to the military, which has been under intense public criticism for mishandling the March sinking of a warship by a North Korean torpedo attack that killed 46 sailors.

The defense ministry has launched a probe to find out how the rigid-inflatable boat designed for special naval missions was used for a personal family outing.

On Tuesday, military investigators found that a Navy captain, who was also identified only by his surname Lee, asked the head of a Navy special warfare unit near Taean to take the passengers on the prohibited ride.

The Navy captain, who visited the military resort for the family get-together but didn't participate in the joyride, previously served as the chief of a naval unit to which the ill-fated boat belongs, military officials said.

The Navy captain was a senior to the incumbent chief of the naval unit at the Korea Naval Academy, the officials said.