Han River bus gets stuck on riverbed, direct cause is ”deviation from route” (Seoul, South Korea)

Regarding the incident in which the Han River Bus, a public water transport operated by Seoul City in South Korea, got stuck on the riverbed while passing through a shallow area near Jamsil Wharf in Songpa-gu, Seoul,
Seoul City has determined that the cause of the accident was a deviation from the route. In a written briefing on the November 15 Han River bus accident on the 16th, the city stated, "The direct cause was a shallow river due to deviation from the route.
"It was a collision with the water, and the indirect cause is presumed to be the lack of brightness of the navigation light on the right side of the shallow water," the statement said, based on the captain's accident report, the onboard surveillance camera, and the Han River Headquarters' water depth measurement data.
After comprehensively examining the data and construction history, the city plans to conduct a joint investigation with the Maritime Safety Tribunal, the local police station, and the Ministry of Administrative Safety to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The Han River bus is scheduled to move when the ship rises to the surface at high tide at 7 p.m. on the 19th.
Until then, it has been reported that only the Magok to Yeouido section at the southern end of Hannamdaegyo Bridge will be partially operational for the time being.
The 7th Han River Bus No. 102 bound for Jamsil was heading for the shallow waters of about 118m near the Jamsil Pier at around 8:15 pm the previous day.
The train stopped while passing through the section. The city received reports from the water rescue team, Han River Police, and Han River Headquarters, and used rescue boats to transport 82 passengers to Jamsil Pier. There were no reported injuries.
The city issued a statement on the following day, the 16th, under the name of spokesperson Lee Min Ki-yeon, saying, "At 8:25 pm on the 15th, Han River Bus No. 102 bound for Jamsil, route 7, stopped temporarily at a point 118m away from Jamsil Pier.
"We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our citizens," he said. "Since the early days of the Hangang Bus service, we have strengthened the safety of our vessels, improved water level monitoring, and improved dock management.
"We have continuously supplemented multiple safety nets, including safety measures," he said, adding, "All accidents and errors have been immediately disclosed and dealt with, and there is no evidence that we have neglected safety."
Prime Minister Kim Min-Seok said, "Seoul City will cooperate with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to thoroughly investigate the cause of this accident and will take measures to ensure the safety of Han River Bus ships, docks and operating routes.
"I request that a comprehensive re-examination of the safety of the Han River be conducted," he said, adding, "A detailed analysis of the potential risks and countermeasures associated with the shallow depth of the Han River should be conducted and measures should be taken."