&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "South Korean ferry with 267 aboard runs aground after helmsman reportedly distracted by phone")
A South Korean ferry with 267 people on board ran aground after the first officer became distracted by his mobile phone, according to the coast guard. The ship hit an isolated island off the country’s southwest coast. All 246 passengers and 21 crew members were safely rescued, and the ferry was pulled to a nearby port on Thursday (Nov 20). According to reports, at least five people received minor injuries.
The accident happened after 8 pm on Wednesday (Nov 19) while the ferry was traveling from Jeju Island to the port city of Mokpo.
A coast guard official told AFP that early findings suggest the officer steering the ship was looking at his phone and left the vessel on autopilot in an area where manual control was required. Because of this, the ferry missed the right point to change direction and ended up running aground.
On Thursday, the coast guard opened a formal investigation. They arrested the first officer and an Indonesian crew member on suspicion of serious negligence.
Both were in charge of navigating and are believed to have delayed taking the ferry off autopilot, which allowed it to crash into the island in a busy route leading to Mokpo.
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Photos and videos shared online show that the 26,500-ton vessel appears to have damage along the bottom of its hull. The incident has reminded many people of South Korea's 2014 ferry disaster that claimed more than 300 lives.
