Ferry enters port after all 267 aboard rescued in accident
Passengers of the 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II are brought to shore in the southwestern city of Mokpo, Wednesday, after the ferry ran aground on a nearby islet. Yonhap
A passenger ferry that ran aground off the southwestern coast arrived at a port Thursday after all 267 people aboard were safely rescued, the Coast Guard said.
The 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II was carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew members when it ran aground on the uninhabited islet of Jok near Jangsan Island off the coast of Sinan, 366 kilometers south of Seoul, at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday.
All the passengers were brought to shore within some three hours, but the crew members stayed behind to help bring the vessel to port.
The ferry was dislodged by towing and sailed into a nearby port in the southwestern city of Mokpo at 5:44 a.m., some nine hours after the accident. No holes or leaks were found in the ship, enabling it to sail on its own.
The Coast Guard said it presumes the accident was caused by human error on the part of the captain or navigator and plans to conduct an investigation using surveillance camera footage and data recorders.
None of the passengers were reported to be seriously injured, though some were taken to hospitals after complaining of mild pains or nervous breakdowns.