Hong Kong’s iconic floatel, “Jumbo Floating Restaurant,” capsized in South China Sea after encountering “adverse conditions.” In a Twitter post late Monday night, Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises said that no crew members were injured.
Prior to its sinking, the hotel was towed away by tugboats. This file photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the Jumbo Floating Restaurant located in the typhoon shelter near Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong island. The famed but financially struggling attraction, sank in the South China Sea after being towed away from the city.
“When passing Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, the vessel encountered adverse conditions which water soon entered before it began to tip.” “Despite the efforts of the towing company responsible for the trip to rescue the vessel, unfortunately, it capsized on Sunday.” The company added it was “very saddened” by this incident.
It said marine engineers had been hired to inspect the floating restaurant and install hoardings on the vessel before the trip, and that “all relevant approvals” had been obtained.
The floating hotel resembled a Chinese imperial palace. Global personalities like Tom Cruise and Queen Elizabeth II have dined there. Its Chinese room was famous for the Cantonese spread, dished out since 1976. The enterprise was battling financial woes for decades and it did cost millions in maintenance fees every year. Around a dozen businesses and organisations had earlier declined an invitation to take it over at no charge.
The pandemic had hit business hard and in 2020, Jumbo ceased its operations. After months of COVID-19 restrictions, its parent company was unable to find a new owner and lacked the funds to maintain it.
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