21st June 2022 – (Hong Kong) The sinking of Jumbo Floating Restaurant in South China Sea shocked many Hongkongers. The hull of the boat fell into the water due to the wind and waves, and finally sank in the water. Aberdeen Catering Group spokesperson said yesterday (20th) that it was aware of the incident, and also pointed out that the salvage project was very difficult.
Dr Stephen Li, Professor of Practice (Maritime Studies) of PolyU’s Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies at PolyU, responded today (21st) that, due to the tall structure of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant and its large wind surface, it was vulnerable to wind and waves. He also pointed out that the water depth of the incident area exceeded 1,000 meters. If deep diving equipment is needed to salvage, and the weather in the waters is relatively bad, it is expected that the salvage cost will be quite high. The Jumbo Floating Restaurant was affected by water pressure after it sank, and it is estimated that the equipment on board has been “crushed completely”. On the other hand, the incident is described as rare and it is believed to be related to the bad weather on the sea. He pointed out that the Jumbo Floating Restaurant was refitted on a barge with no engine, so it had to be towed by a tugboat.
As for insurance, it is estimated that the shipping company has taken out insurance before the voyage.