ed Holes in safety yet again

The news that a sightseeing vessel ran aground in waters off the southwestern coast Tuesday morning frightened people still reeling from the trauma of the Sewol ferry sinking, yet again. Fortunately, all 110 passengers and crew members were rescued less than 30 minutes after the 171-ton Vacance struck rocks about 200 meters from Hong Island.

Unlike when the Sewol sank on April 16, the Coast Guard responded promptly to distress calls, requesting nearby vessels and fishing boats to come to the aid of the cruise ship. Residents of the rocky island, in particular, played a leading role in rescuing the passengers by complying with their safety guidelines because it would have taken Coast Guard patrol boats longer to reach the accident site.

The five crew members also responded calmly, instructing passengers to put on life jackets and go to the top deck of the vessel. They remained on the Vacance until all passengers were rescued. All this was apparently thanks to the accumulated learning that has been undertaken from the Sewol catastrophe.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but the government needs to confirm whether the captain, who took the helm of the vessel only two weeks ago, ignored safety regulations and continued to stay at sea amid high waves.

The safety of the ship is also in question, given that it was built in Japan in 1987, meaning it was seven years older than the Sewol. Before the Vacance launched its service in May, the island residents lodged a petition asking the Coast Guard not to issue a license to operate it, citing possible safety problems, but to no avail. So it will be necessary to trace back how the ship was allowed to even begin operating.

More dumbfounding is that tourist boats have not been governed by the maritime safety measures that the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced last month in the aftermath of the ferry disaster because the sightseeing ships were not protected by the ministry’s jurisdiction.

As a result, there are no upgraded safety regulations for them at the moment even though their numbers reach nearly 1,900, including 542 vessels on the sea. In contrast, the number of coastal ferries remains at only 166. It’s for this reason that the Vacance was able to get a license, although the oldest a vessel is allowed to be is due to be reduced to 25 years from the current 30.

Given the huge number of tourists that embark on voyages around Korea, it’s quite possible that big calamities such as the Sewol disaster can recur at any time. This latest accident shows that public awareness about safety has risen significantly, but both the government and industry remain apparently as insensitive as ever.