A Chinese cruise ship carrying more than 2,300 people has been detained in South Korea.
According to Chinese media reports, the MS Henna was held by authorities on the island of Jeju on Friday 13 September, following a legal dispute with another Chinese company.
The Henna, which is operated by Chinese tourism giant HNA, was due to sail from Jeju to Incheon on Friday afternoon, but a Jeju court prevented the departure following a seizure application from Jiangsu Shagang Group Co Ltd.
The dispute also meant that passengers couldn’t leave the vessel, essentially trapping all carry 1,659 passengers and 650 crew members on the ship. Beijing-based HNA, which also operates Hainan Airlines, said in an online statement that it opened up all entertainment venues to passengers free-of-charge. It also plans to compensate passengers for their inconvenience. Passengers were permitted to leave the vessel on Sunday, and have started being repatriated.
The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) told Xinhua that it has called for the immediate release of the ship.
The Henna was acquired by HNA in 2012. Previously, it was operated by P&O Australia as the Pacific Sun.
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