Two senior crew members aboard a South Korean ferry have been arrested after the helmsman admitted he was distracted by his mobile phone, causing the vessel carrying over 260 people to run aground last Wednesday.
The South Korean Coast Guard announced the arrests of the helmsman and the chief mate on charges of gross negligence leading to injury, while an investigation into the ferry’s captain is ongoing.
All 267 passengers and crew members aboard the “Queen Jenuvia 2,” operated by Seaworld company, were rescued safely after the incident off the nation’s southeastern coast.
Despite the successful evacuation, 27 passengers sustained minor injuries from the impact when the 26,546-ton ferry struck rocks near Jukdo Island, an uninhabited isle off Jangsan Island in the Sinan district.
Initially, the helmsman claimed a steering system malfunction. He later confessed to authorities that he had been using his mobile phone and missed the scheduled course correction.
The helmsman, an Indonesian man in his 40s, and the chief mate, also in his 40s, were found to have neglected their duties before the accident. Some passengers were taken to hospitals for minor pain or stress.
The ferry was traveling from Jeju Island to Mokpo city when it grounded. The vessel has since been docked at a nearby port as authorities continue to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The incident’s location is notably close to where the Sewol ferry sank in 2014, killing more than 300 people, most of whom were high school students.
One passenger described the initial moments to Yonhap news agency, stating there was “a very loud noise, then the ship tilted.” An announcement then instructed everyone to put on life jackets.
Kim Nam-hyun, a diving instructor from Jeju Island who was on board, told Reuters he thought he might die from the loud noise. He recalled the Sewol disaster, saying it taught him to “stay calm, move outside, wear a life jacket, and wait for help.”