Hong Kong’s iconic floating Jumbo restaurant capsizes and sinks

The iconic Jumbo restaurant long a landmark and a must-visit in the sea off Hong Kong has capsized and has sunk after being towed away following its closure.

The restaurant capsized in the early hours of June 21 as it was moved to a new and undisclosed location according to the owners, Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises.

The Jumbo closed in March 2020 after it suffered heavy losses as a result of repeated Covid-19 lockdowns, having served more than thirty million guests in a little over 40 years. The losses followed nearly ten years of unprofitable trading as the cost of running the restaurant and the falling number of western tourists took their toll.

Famed worldwide the restaurant served Cantonese food to not only the locals but also travellers from across the globe, including many famous people such as the Queen, Jimmy Carter and Richard Branson.

The enormous restaurant, which seated 2,300 and could only be accessed by boat, had also appeared in many films including a James Bond.

The owners said they were saddened by the loss but that no one had been injured. They added that marine engineers had been hired to inspect the floating restaurant before the trip, and “all relevant approvals” had been obtained.

After encountering bad weather near the Paracel Islands after it “encountered adverse conditions” and began to take on water, before sinking in waters nearly 1,000 metres deep making salvage extremely difficult.

The Jumbo restaurant’s sinking will take many travellers’ memories to the bottom of the sea with it, the floating restaurant having been famed for its food, its service and for being part of Hong Kong’s skyline.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.