A passenger ferry carrying 267 people crashed into a rocky islet off South Korea’s coast Wednesday night after the first mate became distracted by his cellphone. The Queen Jenuvia II struck the islet around 8:15 p.m. while traveling about 26 mph on autopilot, less than an hour from its Mokpo destination. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, though 27 reported dizziness or minor injuries. “I thought I might die. The sound was too loud,” one passenger told Reuters. The first mate initially blamed a malfunctioning rudder but later admitted checking news on his phone when he should have steered away from the islet. Ships typically switch to manual steering in that narrow sea channel section. The first mate, helmsman, and off-duty captain face charges of injury by gross negligence, punishable by up to five years in prison. (Story URL)
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