A South Korean ferry Queen Jenuvia II carrying about 260 passengers ran aground off South Korea’s southwest coast on Wednesday. The vessel struck rocks close to the uninhabited island of Jogdo while sailing from Jeju to Mokpo. The impact caused the ferry to list and lose engine power, prompting an immediate rescue response.
All 267 people on board, including passengers and crew, were safely evacuated. Twenty-seven passengers sustained minor injuries, such as headaches and back pain, but no serious harm was reported.
According to investigators, the grounding occurred because the navigating officer was using his mobile phone during a critical part of the voyage. The ferry was operating on cruise control while passing through a narrow and hazardous area where manual steering was required. The officer missed the scheduled course change point and failed to react in time, allowing the vessel to drift directly onto the rocks.
The helmsman initially claimed a steering malfunction, but later admitted he had been distracted by his phone. As the investigation progressed, the Coast Guard arrested both the helmsman and the first mate on charges of gross negligence resulting in injuries. The captain is also under investigation for failing to properly supervise the bridge team during the approach to Jogdo.
The Queen Jenuvia II, built in 2021, is a Korean-flagged passenger ferry capable of carrying more than 1,000 people and vehicles on lower decks.
