Sinan ferry accident raises concerns over maritime safety

At 8:17 p.m. on Nov. 19, the passenger ferry Queen Zenobia 2, carrying 267 passengers and crew, ran aground off the coast of Sinan in South Jeolla Province with a loud crash. Traveling from Jeju to Mokpo, the ferry veered off course, struck a reef, and came to rest with its bow on the uninhabited Jokdo Island. The accident occurred just 50 kilometers from the site of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster. All passengers were safely rescued, but the incident revived painful memories of the Sewol tragedy and raised nationwide concern.

Coast Guard investigations so far indicate that human error caused the grounding. The waters off Sinan include 1,025 small and large islands, requiring navigation through narrow channels. In such areas, standard protocol calls for the navigator to turn off the autopilot and manually steer the vessel. However, the navigator failed to adjust the course while using a cellphone with the autopilot engaged. The foreign helmsman on duty merely observed, and the captain, who was required to be in the wheelhouse, was absent. The ferry deviated about three kilometers from its planned route and ran aground on Jokdo. If the mudflats had not been exposed by low tide, the accident could have caused significant casualties.

Despite occurring on a dark and cold night, the response of passengers and crew was notable. During the Coast Guard rescue operation, passengers followed an orderly process, boarding the rescue vessel in sequence, with children and the elderly given priority. Unlike during the Sewol disaster, crew members remained on the ferry until the last passenger was safely evacuated. Staff from the Jangsan-myeon office in Sinan County and local fishermen operated a large fishing boat capable of carrying 30 passengers and rushed to the accident site.

The incident raises concerns about the broader safety culture on passenger ferries, where crews may rely too heavily on autopilot or leave the wheelhouse unattended. The maritime traffic control center (VTS) failed to detect the course deviation until after a report was received, echoing a lapse similar to that seen during the Sewol tragedy. That disaster, caused by a combination of negligence from regulators, operators, crew, and the Coast Guard, led to the deaths of 304 people. This close call highlights the ongoing importance of maritime safety awareness and raises questions about how much has changed since Sewol.