Coast Guard seeks arrest warrant for captain over ferry grounding

The Queen Jenuvia II ferry is set afloat off the uninhabited islet of Jok near Jangsan Island, off the coast of Sinan, South Jeolla Province, Thursday, after it ran aground the previous day. Courtesy of Mokpo Coast Guard

The Coast Guard on Sunday sought an arrest warrant for the captain of a passenger ferry that ran aground last week, leading to the rescue of all 267 people aboard.

The captain, in his 60s, is accused of causing injury by gross negligence and violating the Seafarers Act by abandoning his duties at the time of the accident last Wednesday.

The 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II ran aground on the uninhabited islet of Jok, off the coast of Sinan, South Jeolla Province, en route from the southern island of Jeju to the southwestern city of Mokpo.

All 246 passengers and 21 crew members were safely rescued, but 30 of them received hospital treatment for pains.

The first mate and the helmsman were arrested Saturday on the same charges of causing injury by gross negligence. The first mate was found to have been looking at his phone while navigating narrow waters on autopilot.

The captain had left the wheelhouse to rest in his cabin.