Hong Kong’s Famous Floating Restaurant Capsizes, Putting An End To An Ill Fate

Several days after Jumbo Kingdom, a three-story floating restaurant in Hong Kong, was towed to sea, reports have emerged that the iconic establishment has sunk. 

The news comes just a short while after the 260-foot-long restaurant, which was designed to look like a Chinese imperial palace and seat over 2,000 guests at once, was removed from the city’s southwest waters after more than four decades.

According to a statement by Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises Limited, the main boat of the floating tourist landmark capsized while it was en route to a shipyard after coming into “adverse conditions.” 

Unfortunately, chances of the restaurant being salvaged aren’t looking good, as CNN notes that the boat sank more than 3,280 feet under the waves. A glimmer of comfort, however, is that no crew members or workers were injured in the process. 

During its operations, the establishment was visited by some of the world’s most famous people, including Queen Elizabeth II. Bloomberg reports that while it used to be a star attraction, its popularity waned during the pandemic, eventually forcing it to shutter. 

Many locals expressed their sadness at the terrible demise of one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks online, with some posting tribute art, while others reminisced on their memories of the past. 

[via CNN and Bloomberg, cover image via Tommy Alvén | Dreamstime.com]