Sinan: Human error was likely to blame for a passenger ferry's running aground off the southwestern coast this week, the Coast Guard said Thursday, after all 267 people aboard were safely rescued. The 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II was carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew members when it ran aground on the uninhabited islet of Jok near Jangsan Island off the coast of Sinan, 366 kilometers south of Seoul, at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the incident occurred because the navigator in charge at the time was distracted, reportedly looking at his phone, and left the vessel on autopilot when it should have been operated manually to pass through narrow waters. This oversight resulted in the ferry sailing past the point where it should have veered, causing it to run aground the islet, with half the hull mounting the land.

The Coast Guard has announced plans to seek criminal charges against those responsible for the mishap. Despite the accident, the ferry was successfully dislodged by towing and managed to sail into a nearby port in the southwestern city of Mokpo at 5:44 a.m., approximately nine hours after the grounding. No structural damage such as holes or leaks were found, allowing the vessel to sail under its own power.

All passengers were brought safely to shore within about three hours of the accident, although some were taken to hospitals for mild pains or nervous breakdowns. The crew remained on board to assist in bringing the vessel to port. Fortunately, none of the passengers were reported to be seriously injured.

In response to the incident, the ferry's operator, Seaworld, has suspended all services pending the completion of the investigation and safety inspections. Passengers were instructed to unload their cars and luggage once the ferry arrived at port, as a total of 118 vehicles were on board during its journey from the southern island of Jeju to Mokpo.