Probers seek to fill in Jumbo's final hours

The Marine Department has asked the owner of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant to submit a report on how the vessel capsized and sank in the South China Sea on Sunday.

It said the 76-meter barge had been heading for Cambodia under tow from Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, which it left on Tuesday of last week.

Parent company Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises had on Monday night announced the vessel had been caught in a thunderstorm as it was sailing near the Paracel Islands on Saturday afternoon. And then Jumbo sank in more than 1,000 meters the next day.

The department said Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises filed an application for port clearance to tow the ship from Hong Kong. It also appointed a survey organization to conduct an inspection to ensure it was in a fit state to be towed to Cambodia.

A port clearance was issued after the department assessed the information.

"When Jumbo was leaving Hong Kong on June 14 the department deployed patrol launches to regulate marine traffic to make sure it would be towed away smoothly within the Hong Kong waters without affecting marine safety," the department reported, adding "no irregularities were found."

But once the vessel left Hong Kong the department no longer monitored its progress.

Jumbo's owner did not inform the department of the sinking before making a media announcement.

It was after learning of the sinking from news reports that the department "immediately required the owner to submit a written report for a follow-up investigation."

Department officers noted that no one normally needs to be on a vessel under tow, though a tug would monitor progress and act as required. The means of towing was for Jumbo's owner, it was noted, and now it was the owner's responsibility to make a decision on salvaging.

The internationally renowned Jumbo, a feature in Aberdeen for 46 years, was taken in tow by South Korean tug Jaewon 9 once it left Hong Kong waters.

A internet-based tracking shows the tug and Jumbo were near the Paracels on Saturday night, though they made a turn on Sunday.

Jaewon 9 towed a vessel from Hong Kong to South Korea in December, but it encountered difficulties in the Taiwan Strait because of storms and big waves.

sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com