South Korean authorities have sought arrest warrants for the master, first officer and helmsman of the ferry Queen Jenuvia II after it ran aground near Jangsan-do on 19 November. They are charged with gross negligence causing harm to passengers.
The 26,000-gt ro-pax Queen Jenuvia II was carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew from Jeju Island to Mokpo when it struck an uninhabited island at a speed of about 20 knots. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated. Twenty-seven people were treated in hospital for minor injuries. There were no fatalities.
The Coast Guard reported that the master was not on the bridge during the approach, as he was resting in his cabin. Investigators say the officer repeatedly stayed in his cabin instead of supervising the passage, which authorities called a dereliction of duty.
The first officer, who was on watch, initially blamed the incident on a steering failure, but later admitted he had been distracted by reading news on his cellphone. He also relied on autopilot in a zone where manual navigation was mandatory.
The helmsman was found not to be properly monitoring the gyrocompass and allowed the vessel to deviate from its course while the ferry remained on autopilot.
Investigators also said the vessel had not reduced speed and had failed to communicate with the Mokpo Regional Vessel Traffic Control Center. The Coast Guard is investigating the Mokpo RVTCC for failing to detect the vessel’s deviation. Reports indicate that the controller was distracted by another large vessel and had disabled alarms frequently triggered by small fishing boats.
Investigators are also reviewing the ferry operator’s safety management system, crew training records, operational checklists and regulatory compliance. SeaWorld Express Ferry has suspended service until the end of the year and pledged a full safety review.
The master faces charges of gross negligence and violating the Seafarers Act. The first officer and helmsman are charged with gross negligence causing harm to passengers. Investigations are ongoing.
