A photo shows passengers transferring to rescue boats from a cruise ship on the Han River that ran aground near Banpo Bridge at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday. (Online communities)
A photo shows passengers transferring to rescue boats from a cruise ship on the Han River that ran aground near Banpo Bridge at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday. (Online communities)

A sightseeing boat cruising on the Han River in Seoul ran aground Saturday evening, prompting a brief rescue operation.

According to the Seocho Fire Station on Sunday, the vessel — operated by E-Land Group and carrying 359 passengers — became stuck on a shallow stretch of the river near Banpo Bridge at around 8 p.m., about 30 minutes after departure.

Firefighters and police dispatched rescue and patrol boats shortly afterward and began evacuating passengers around 8:30 p.m. The operation was completed within an hour, and no injuries were reported.

The cruise was running a 70-minute route from Yeouido Hangang Park to Banpo Bridge and back, with live music performances on board.

After disembarking, some passengers made their own way home, while others remained at the scene before boarding another vessel back to Yeouido. The operator said it plans to issue refunds.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the grounding.


cjh@heraldcorp.com