South Korea’s Coast Guard intensified its inquiry into the Queen Jenuvia II grounding, moving to detain the vessel’s master after arresting the first officer and the helmsman on charges of gross negligence that endangered hundreds of passengers.

Investigators from the Mokpo Coast Guard stated they questioned seven additional crew members as witnesses after interrogating the two arrested officers. According to media briefings cited by authorities, the captain repeatedly failed to appear on the bridge during approaches to Mokpo, despite navigating a congested, narrow inbound channel. The captain was reportedly in his cabin and had not supervised more than 1,000 prior port approaches, an omission now viewed as a serious breach of responsibility for the vessel’s safe handling.

The 26,000-gross-tonne ferry was running at roughly 20 knots as it completed its four-hour passage from Jeju Island. Initial claims by the first officer pointed to a steering malfunction, but he later acknowledged he had been reading news on his phone when the ferry missed a critical turn and struck an uninhabited island. Updated Coast Guard figures show 78 individuals, including a pregnant passenger, received treatment after the incident.

See also: Korea’s Queen Jenuvia 2 Grounds Off the Southwest Coast; 267 Evacuated

Investigators also confirmed the helmsman had been distracted while observing the gyrocompass. Despite operating inside a regulated and busy traffic corridor, the ferry remained on autopilot, even though manual steering was required under those conditions.

The Coast Guard reported it was examining a wide span of operational documents, including inspection checklists, management procedures, the safety management system, and crew training records. Review of the vessel’s safety management officer has been postponed while the individual consults legal counsel.

Scrutiny has also extended to the Mokpo Regional Vessel Traffic Control Center, which oversees navigation around the port. Media reports indicate that investigators are assessing why the controller failed to identify the ferry’s deviation from its standard track. At the time, the controller was reportedly focused on another large vessel operating outside the standard lane. The reports further state that VTS alarms had been disabled due to frequent triggers from small fishing boats under 20 m in length, which are not required to follow designated routes.

Operator SeaWorld Express Ferry issued an online apology, suspended services through year-end, and announced an internal safety review.