The Saga Of Hong Kong's Historic Floating Restaurant Isn't Over

Visitors and locals alike were shocked and saddened when an iconic Hong Kong restaurant closed due to COVID-19. The famed Jumbo Restaurant, which was located onboard a boat, was towed away from its berth because its parent company could not afford to keep it operating after strict restrictions (per AP News). What happened next got people talking: "Wow, I ate there while on a #CVN70 port visit. #JumboRestaurant was a #HongKong treasure that had really good food. Sad to see it capsized," one social media user tweeted. "RIP, #JumboRestaurant I will think of you in happier times," said another social media user. "Thanks for the memories," mourned a third.

So it must have come as a shock for those who had been affected by the loss of the classical-style Cantonese restaurant that speculation that the floating restaurant sank was not strictly accurate. Per The Standard, the former floating restaurant ran aground. The vessel now appears to be sitting overturned on a reef with the hull deteriorating. The vessel is now the subject of an investigation by China's maritime authorities, per The South China Morning Post. 

New details involving the capsized vessel have also been released by the tugboat's owners, who now say that strong currents had compromised the safety of the vessel as it was being towed. The company says that once the top-heavy Jumbo restaurant capsized, its tugboat stayed out at sea to try and keep other accidents from happening, per The South China Morning Post. And in a separate article, The SCMP subsequently reveals that members of China's Hainan Maritime Safety Administration were still looking into the incident. An officer added, "The vessel capsized and keeled over, and was trapped on a reef off Sansha [in Hainan]. As far as I know, this is the latest situation."

If you're wondering how long it might take to wrap up an investigation into the incident, the answer to that might be a shrug as the officer explained, "We cannot say for sure how much longer the investigation will take. It is being conducted in accordance with the relevant laws." The officer also said the vessel was not a danger to any ships passing the area. It appears it may be a while before anyone can get any actual closure with the beloved Jumbo Floating Restaurant. People may just have to savor their memories while they eat the simple $4 lunch that's popular in Hong Kong and wait for more news.