Ferry Crew Arrested: Captain and Helmsman Allegedly Watching News at Time of Grounding

Incident Overview and Initial Situation

The Coast Guard is investigating the grounding of the Queen Zenobia 2 ferry off the coast of Shinan, South Jeolla Province. The first mate, identified as Mr. A, and the helmsman, Mr. B, have been arrested and are being investigated on suspicion of causing injury through professional negligence.

Circumstances at the Time of the Incident

The Coast Guard has secured testimony from Mr. A stating that he was "watching the news on his cell phone at the time of the course change." They are investigating whether the use of a cell phone in a manual navigation zone was a direct cause of the accident. The Queen Zenobia 2 is a 26,000-ton passenger ferry that regularly travels between Mokpo and Jeju. At the time of the incident, there were 246 passengers and 21 crew members, a total of 267 people, on board.

Accident Area and Communication Issues

The area where the accident occurred is a zone where the use of automatic navigation systems is restricted. It has been revealed that the Queen Zenobia 2 did not communicate with the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) before the grounding, raising the possibility of problems with situation awareness and response at the time of the accident.

Information Regarding the Captain

Captain C was found to have been absent from his designated position during his scheduled working hours at the time of the accident and will be charged with dereliction of duty. Rescue and Casualties The Coast Guard rescued all 267 passengers and crew members immediately after the accident. A total of 30 people were injured, most of whom were discharged after emergency treatment. Currently, only 4 people remain hospitalized.

Investigation into the Cause of the Accident

The Coast Guard has secured and is analyzing the Queen Zenobia 2's voyage recorder, VTS communication logs, and black box. They are investigating the cause of the accident, keeping all possibilities open, including adverse weather conditions and ship defects.

Future Plans

The Mokpo Coast Guard plans to request arrest warrants for First Mate A and Helmsman B. They also plan to decide whether to book Captain C after further investigation. The Queen Zenobia 2 has been salvaged from the accident area and will undergo detailed inspection.