Jumbo's kitchen barge capsizes

The kitchen barge of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, which has been moored in Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter for almost half a century, capsized on Tuesday night as seven legislators were preparing to call on the administration to preserve the major landmark.

This came after the restaurant's parent company, Melco International Development, declared on Monday it could not find a new operator, and the ship would leave Hong Kong as there is nowhere else moor it in SAR waters.

The operator must pay millions every year for its maintenance to fulfill license requirements, said to be a "hefty financial burden."

As for the capsize drama, marine police and fire service units were called to the Jumbo scene at around 11pm on Tuesday night after reports the kitchen barge, about 37 meters long and 18 wide, was listing.

No one was injured in the capsize, believed to be due to disrepair.

The seven legislators - Perry Yiu Pak-leung, Lee Chun-keung, Chan Hok-fung, Judy Chan Kapui, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, Stephen Wong Yuen-shan and Peter Koon Ho-ming - sent a letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor yesterday, calling on the administration to try to keep the Jumbo in Hong Kong.

They said revitalizing the Jumbo was a key project in an "Invigorating Island South" proposal.

Koon suggested officials discuss it with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as he knows the club helped with a similar project.

A legislator who was not among the seven, Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, said it may not be appropriate for the club to take over the Jumbo when there was no detailed plan and budget for such a project.

Some people visited Aberdeen yesterday to view the Jumbo rather than wait for a big gap to appear in the moorings in the harbor.

A Southern District resident named Sin argued that the Jumbo is a must-visit attraction, saying: "When tourists visit Hong Kong they all say they want to eat seafood in Aberdeen. It will not come back once it's moved away."