A major maritime incident was narrowly averted off the South Korean coast after a ferry carrying 267 individuals ran aground, with authorities citing a helmsman distracted by his mobile phone as the primary cause.
Panic at Sea: The Moment of Impact
The accident occurred after 8pm local time on Wednesday, 19th November 2025. The vessel was en route from the southern island of Jeju to the southwestern port city of Mokpo when it crashed onto an uninhabited island. Passenger Kim Namhyun, a 51-year-old diving instructor, described the terrifying moment. "I thought I might die. The sound was too loud," he said, recounting the loud bang that startled everyone onboard.
Despite the panic and confusion, Kim noted that the memory of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster prompted a calmer response. "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," he explained. Footage from the scene showed passengers in life vests awaiting transfer to rescue boats.
Investigation Points to 'Clear Negligence'
The South Korean coast guard swiftly launched an investigation. A preliminary finding revealed a critical failure in the vessel's operation. A coast guard official told 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."
Choi Jae Gon, an official from the Mokpo Coast Guard, elaborated on the navigational challenges of the area, describing it as a "narrow coastal area... a route that requires careful navigation." The reliance on autopilot in such a zone proved disastrous. "As a result, the vessel missed the proper moment to change course, veered toward the uninhabited island and ran aground," the official stated.
Authorities confirmed that all 246 passengers and 21 crew members were brought safely ashore. At least five people sustained minor injuries. The 26,500-tonne ferry was later towed to a port, with video footage suggesting damage to the bottom of its hull. The coast guard has indicated it will press criminal charges against the helmsman due to the "clear negligence" that led to the grounding.
A Nation's Trauma Revisited
The incident immediately stirred painful memories of South Korea's worst maritime disaster, the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014, which claimed more than 300 lives. The wreck of the Sewol was eventually brought to Mokpo, the very city the grounded ferry was heading towards.
In response to the latest accident, President Lee Jae Myung ordered "swift rescue efforts" and demanded regular public updates. The coast guard's Commissioner General, Kim Yong-jin, confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway, initially suggesting a mistake by the captain or a navigating officer as the likely cause. Authorities have clarified that the crew members were not intoxicated at the time of the accident.
