Korean ferry carrying 267 crashes as helm ‘distracted by his phone’

A South Korean passenger ferry carrying 267 people ran aground near a small uninhabited islet off the country’s south-west coast on Wednesday evening (19 November 2025), prompting a large rescue operation.

The first mate and helm have been detained and charged with gross negligence, after it emerged the first mate had been browsing news on his phone at the time of the crash, according to investigators. The captain, who was not on duty during the grounding, is being investigated on suspicion of failing to meet his responsibilities in a high-risk zone.

The Queen Jenuvia II had been travelling from Jeju Island towards Mokpo when it struck rocks at around 8pm local time while moving through a narrow stretch of coastal water known for requiring careful manual steering.

South Korea breathes sigh of relief, as all 267 people rescued in ferry grounding Wednesday nighthttps://t.co/haQPXapcdF pic.twitter.com/Gk7s66MFa3

— The Korea Herald 코리아헤럴드 (@TheKoreaHerald) November 20, 2025

All passengers and crew were brought ashore, although more than two dozen people received minor injuries. Most of those hurt were treated locally and discharged the following morning, while others were moved to nearby accommodation.

Investigators say that the navigating officer had been occupied with his phone at a point when he was expected to adjust course, leaving the vessel on autopilot in an area where manual control is normally required. A coast guard official tells AFP that “the officer responsible for steering had been looking at his mobile phone and allowed autopilot to take control in an area where the ship should have been manually operated”. The same official says: “As a result, the vessel missed the proper moment to change course, veered toward the uninhabited island and ran aground”.

The first mate initially suggested the rudder was not responding, though he later acknowledged to authorities that he had been browsing news on his phone. Authorities have seized the officers’ devices and are conducting forensic examinations.

The impact reportedly prompted panic among some passengers. One traveller tells South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that “there was a loud bang, and then the ship tilted”, while another described donning a life jacket and waiting for assistance on the upper deck.

The crash brought immediate comparisons to the 2014 Sewol disaster, in which more than 300 people died, when a ferry capsized as a result of severe overloading and steering errors. The majority of passengers who died were students who had been told to stay in their cabins by the crew.

All 267 people were rescued on Wednesday from a passenger ferry that ran aground in waters off western South Korea, according to the coast guard. pic.twitter.com/zJ8zlgJOyI

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) November 20, 2025

The latest grounding took place near the same stretch of coast, and the Sewol wreck was ultimately moved to Mokpo, the same city where the Queen Jenuvia II later docked.

Kim Namhyun tells Reuters: “I thought I might die. The sound was too loud. But having seen the Sewol ferry, I knew that in situations like this, you have to stay calm, move outside, wear a life jacket, and wait.”

Investigators are also reviewing the performance of the Mokpo Vessel Traffic Service. Despite the ferry drifting several kilometres from its standard course, the centre did not detect or raise concerns before receiving word of the grounding from the crew. Officials said the controller had been overseeing multiple vessels and may not have recognised the deviation in real time.

Tugboats have now freed the ship from rocks, and the vessel made its way to port under its own power in the early hours of Thursday. The operator, Seaworld, has paused services pending safety checks and the outcome of the investigation.

Authorities say they expect to pursue criminal charges, with the coast guard stating the case involves “clear negligence”.