197 Accidents in Five Years in High-Risk Waters
Coast Guard: "Investigating Possible Navigational Error"
On the afternoon of the 19th, passengers of the passenger ship Queen Zenobia 2 are being rescued and moved at the exclusive pier of Mokpo Maritime Police Station in Mokpo City, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Yonhap News
The large passenger ship Queen Zenobia 2, carrying 246 passengers, ran aground on an uninhabited island in the waters off Shinan, Jeollanam-do. It has been confirmed that there were 46 ship accidents last year alone in the Mokpo Port entry channel, which is part of the vessel's route.
According to the Central Maritime Safety Tribunal of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and other sources on November 20, a total of 197 ship accidents were recorded in Mokpo Port and its entry channel from 2020 to 2024. By year, there were 30 cases in 2020, 24 in 2021, 39 in 2022, 58 in 2023, and 46 last year, indicating that more than 20 accidents have occurred annually.
The types of accidents included 51 cases of flooding, 37 cases of engine failure, 36 collisions, 13 fires or explosions, 10 cases of navigation obstruction, 7 sinkings, 6 groundings, and 5 capsizings. Last year alone, there were 14 cases of flooding, 12 engine failures, and 6 collisions, among others.
Previously, Queen Zenobia 2 departed Jeju Port at 4:45 p.m. the previous day and was scheduled to arrive at Mokpo Port around 9:00 p.m. However, at 8:16 p.m., it ran aground near Jokdo, Jangsan Island, Shinan County, Jeollanam-do. At the time, all 267 people on board, including 246 passengers and 21 crew members, were rescued by the Coast Guard rescue boats and others by 11:27 p.m. Some passengers were transported to the hospital due to pain or nervous shock caused by the impact of the grounding, but there were no serious injuries. The passenger ship entered Mokpo Samhak Pier on its own at 5:44 a.m. the following day.
The Coast Guard explained, "The area near Jangsan Island is a coastal route that always requires great caution," and they are presuming "navigational error" as the primary cause. They are currently investigating the exact circumstances of the accident by questioning the captain, navigational officers, and other ship personnel.
Sea World Express Ferry announced on the morning of November 20, "We are prioritizing accident management and on-site response," and notified that all Mokpo-Jeju routes have been canceled. The schedule for resuming operations will be decided after the hull inspection and safety checks are completed.
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