SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - The first mate and helmsman of a passenger ferry that ran aground on an uninhabited islet off the southwestern coast overnight were arrested on Thursday over their alleged negligence, according to police.
Police detained the first mate in his 40s, and the helmsman, an Indonesian also in his 40s, after both were found to have neglected their duties, causing the 26,000-ton ferry Queen Zenobia II to run aground.
Initial investigations revealed that the first mate missed a crucial moment to change the ship's course because he was distracted by his cellphone. The vessel was supposed to alter its direction, but he failed to do so, leading to the accident.
The area is known for its narrow and dangerous passages, requiring manual navigation instead of autopilot. However, he allegedly did not switch to manual mode while being distracted.
Initially, he claimed a malfunction in the steering gear but later admitted he missed the turn while searching for news on his phone. Police seized their phones to investigate their activities at the time of the accident.
The vessel's captain is also under investigation, though he has not been detained. He was not in the steering room at the time, as he was off duty.
The vessel carrying 46 passengers and 21 crew members departed from the southern resort island of Jeju at 4:45 p.m. the previous day and ran aground near Sinan in South Jeolla Province at around 8:17 p.m., becoming stranded.
All passengers were safely rescued several hours later, although some reported minor injuries or stress and were taken to hospitals.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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