All 246 passengers safely rescued after South Korean ferry runs aground on rocks

All 246 passengers aboard a South Korean ferry have been safely rescued after the vessel ran aground on rocks off the country’s south east coast, according to the Coast Guard. Officials confirmed that although the ship remains stuck on a reef and cannot move, there is currently no danger of it sinking or capsizing.

The accident took place near Jangsan Island in Sinan County on Wednesday evening local time. The ferry, identified as the Queen Jenuvia 2, struck rocks near the uninhabited island of Jogdo. Coast Guard teams quickly responded, transferring passengers onto patrol boats and moving them to safety. Local media reported that five people suffered minor injuries from the impact, but no serious casualties have been recorded.

Some crew members are still on board working with the Coast Guard to assess the situation. Authorities have not yet confirmed how many of the 21 staff remain on the ferry but said coordination between the crew and rescue teams is ongoing. Prime Minister Kim Min seok ordered all available vessels to support the evacuation and ensure that everyone was brought to safety as quickly as possible.

A Coast Guard official told local media that crews had checked the vessel and confirmed there was no flooding. The focus now is on stabilising the ship and planning the next steps. Officials said they intend to move the ferry ashore once high tide arrives, which will make it easier to free the vessel from the reef.

The Queen Jenuvia 2, which weighs around twenty six thousand tonnes, had been travelling from the resort island of Jeju to the port city of Mokpo when the grounding occurred. The route is familiar to many in South Korea, and the incident brought back memories of the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014. That tragedy took place in the same region and claimed the lives of more than three hundred people, most of them schoolchildren. The wreck of the Sewol was eventually recovered and transported to Mokpo nearly three years later.

While the latest incident did not result in major injuries, it has prompted renewed discussions about ferry safety, emergency response and the need for careful navigation in crowded or shallow waterways. Officials praised the quick work of rescue teams and the cooperation of passengers during the evacuation.

As authorities continue efforts to secure the vessel and investigate what caused it to run aground, families of the rescued passengers expressed relief that the situation was brought under control without loss of life. The Coast Guard said it will release more information once the ferry is moved ashore and a full inspection has been completed.