• A South Korean ferry with 267 people on board ran aground off the southwestern coast.
• All passengers were rescued; five reported minor injuries.
• The helmsman was reportedly distracted by his phone, prompting charges of gross negligence.

A South Korean ferry carrying 267 passengers and crew ran aground on rocks late on Wednesday, as it traveled from Jeju Island to Mokpo, igniting significant rescue efforts. Fortunately, all individuals on board were rescued without serious injuries, although five people experienced minor injuries during the incident, according to BBC, Channel News Asia, and Reuters.

The 26,546-tonne vessel, known as the Queen Jenuvia 2, became stuck against an uninhabited island after the officer steering the ship was distracted by his mobile phone and did not manually operate the vessel when required. This led to a delay in changing course, as described by a coast guard official on the condition of anonymity, highlighting a lapse in navigational responsibility, according to Los Angeles Times and South China Morning Post.

The South Korean coast guard is now pursuing criminal charges against the helmsman and an Indonesian crew member for gross negligence. They are believed to have failed to react in a timely manner to the autopilot oversight, a claim that comes amid ongoing public sensitivity following the tragic 2014 Sewol ferry disaster that resulted in significant loss of life, as noted by Reuters and The Jakarta Post.

In response to the incident, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung had ordered swift rescue operations and real-time updates for the public. Investigators will examine navigation records and crew behavior during the accident to fully understand the mishap, as reports of conflicting testimonies emerge from the crew, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.