Hong Kong’s Jumbo Floating Restaurant capsizes in the sea less than a week after being towed away

Hong Kong’s iconic Jumbo Floating Restaurant has capsized in the South China Sea less than a week after it was towed away from the city, its parent company said Monday.

The restaurant encountered ‘adverse conditions’ on Saturday as it was passing the Xisha Islands, also known as the Paracel Islands, in the South China Sea, and water entered the vessel and it began to tip, according to Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises Ltd.

The company said no one was injured, but that efforts to save the vessel failed and it capsized on Sunday.

Hong Kong’s iconic Jumbo Floating Restaurant is towed away in Hong Kong, Tuesday, June 14, 2022

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A sinking kitchen section of the Chinese imperial-style Jumbo Floating Restaurant is seen at a typhoon shelter in Aberdeen on June 13

‘As the water depth at the scene is over 1,000 meters, it makes it extremely difficult to carry out salvage works,’ the company said in a statement.

It added that they are ‘very saddened’ by the accident.

The Jumbo Floating Restaurant, which is almost 80metres (260 feet) in length, had been a landmark in Hong Kong for over four decades, serving Cantonese cuisine to over 3 million guests including Queen Elizabeth II and Tom Cruise.

On June 13, a sinking kitchen section of the Chinese imperial-style restaurant was seen at a typhoon shelter in Aberdeen on June 13 before it departed the city. 

Hong Kong’s iconic restaurant on Tuesday departed the city, after its parent company failed to find a new owner and lacked funds to maintain the establishment amid months of COVID-19 restrictions

The restaurant closed in 2020 due to the pandemic and laid off all its staff.

Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises said the restaurant became a financial burden to its shareholders, with millions of Hong Kong dollars spent on its inspection and maintenance even though it was not in operation.

The restaurant was towed away last Tuesday, where it was intended to be moved to a lower-cost site where maintenance could be carried out.

It said that prior to its departure, the vessel had been thoroughly inspected by marine engineers and hoardings were installed, and all relevant approvals were obtained.

‘The company is now getting further details of the accident from the towing company,’ the statement added.

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The restaurant was towed away last Tuesday, where it was intended to be moved to a lower-cost site where maintenance could be carried out