. . .It is unclear why the Sewol leaned so far to the left before sinking, and why so many aboard the ship had been unable to escape, even though it took nearly two and a half hours for the vessel to capsize and all but disappear underwater. A series of interviews Thursday with survivors, relatives, crew members and investigators offered a vivid picture of how the trip turned into a catastrophe, and possibly into South Korea’s worst disaster in decades. [. . .]

Investigators who questioned the ferry’s captain, Lee Jun-seok, 69, on Thursday said the vessel had made a sharp turn to the left around the time it began to tilt. The Sewol had been sailing slightly off its usual course, they said, and Mr. Lee had apparently tried to steer it back. But it was unclear why he had attempted such a turn in waters known for their strong currents, or why the turn had caused the ship to lean to one side.

The captain, in a brief appearance before reporters Thursday, provided little clarity. “I can’t raise my face before the passengers and family members of the missing,” he said. Officials have said Mr. Lee, who has been criticized for being among the first to leave the ship, could face criminal charges. . .