All 267 passengers and crew of the Queen Jenuvia II were safely rescued after their ferry ran aground off South Korea’s southwestern coast, the Coast Guard said Thursday. Photo by Yonhap
All 267 passengers and crew were safely rescued hours after their ferry ran aground off South Korea’s southwestern coast this week, the Coast Guard said Thursday, with investigators giving weight to errors in navigation as a potential cause of the accident.
The 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew members was reported to have run aground at the uninhabited islet of Jok near Jangsan Island off the coast of Sinan County, 366 kilometers south of Seoul, at around 8:17 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard. It was en route to the port city of Mokpo after departing from the southern island of Jeju.
Half of the vessel’s hull was said to have moved onto Jok Islet. No serious injuries were reported, with 27 people reporting pain due to the shock that they experienced when the vessel ran aground.
All people aboard the ferry were safely moved to a nearby port aboard Coast Guard and other vessels.
For the rescue operations, the Coast Guard deployed 17 patrol ships, four coastal rescue vessels, a plane and special rescue personnel.
Maritime authorities presumed that the ferry ran aground due to human error.
“We confirmed that the vessel veered belatedly, deviating from the regular course,” an official from the Mokpo Coast Guard said during a press briefing in the southwestern city of Mokpo.
In an earlier briefing, Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Yong-jin also attributed the cause to errors by a captain or navigator.
Neither the captain nor navigator were found to be under the influence.
At the time of the accident, the waves were measured at around 0.5 meters and calm.
The Coast Guard said it received the first distress call at 8:16 p.m., a minute before the ship ran aground, from a person tentatively identified as a navigator.
An investigation team has been set up to determine the cause, including through data recorders and surveillance cameras on the vessel, and by questioning crew members.
Some passengers described the incident in real time on social media. “There was a loud bang, and then the ship tilted,” one passenger wrote. “An announcement told everyone to put on life jackets, so we’re wearing them and waiting on the top deck.”
Children, pregnant women and older adults were reportedly taken off first, while other passengers and crew waited their turn on deck wearing life jackets.
President Lee Jae Myung ordered swift rescue efforts immediately after being briefed on the accident during his visit to the United Arab Emirates.
“Lee immediately ordered the relevant authorities to act swiftly to prevent any loss of life and to provide real-time updates on the rescue operations to reassure the public,” the presidential office said.
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