Authorities in South Korea have rescued all 246 people from a passenger ferry that ran aground on rocks off the nation’s south-east coastline. The Coast Guard reported that the Queen Jenuvia 2 remains trapped on a reef but is stable and not in danger of sinking.
The grounding happened near Jangsan Island in Sinan County on Wednesday evening, close to the deserted island of Jogdo.
Media reports indicate that five passengers sustained minor injuries during the impact, but all others are safe.
According to reports, some crew members remain on the vessel working with Coast Guard teams, although it is uncertain how many of the ferry’s 21 staff are still aboard.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered the mobilisation of all available ships to aid the rescue.
“There is currently no flooding. We are transferring passengers to patrol boats and relocating them to safety,” a Coast Guard official stated, as cited by Chosun Ilbo.
Coast Guard authorities have announced plans to refloat and guide the vessel ashore during high tide.
The ferry, weighing 26,000 tonnes, had been travelling from Jeju Island toward the port of Mokpo, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred near the location of the 2014 Sewol ferry tragedy, which resulted in over 300 fatalities, the majority of them schoolchildren. The Sewol’s hull was salvaged and moved to Mokpo approximately three years after the disaster.
Source: BBC News
