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A Macau casino magnet opened the Jumbo Floating Restaurant 1976. Photograph: EyePress News/REX/Shutterstock

By Vincent Ni
June 21, 2022

One of Hong Kong’s most iconic restaurants – the Jumbo Floating Restaurant – has capsized in the South China Sea days after it was towed away from its home of 46 years in the territory’s Aberdeen harbour.

Its owners said in a statement on Monday that the restaurant had encountered “adverse” weather conditions when passing the Paracel Islands – also known as the Xisha Islands – on its way to an undisclosed location.

“The water depth at the scene is over 1,000 metres, making it extremely difficult to carry out salvage works,” the statement from Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises said, adding that no crew member was injured and that it was seeking more information from the towing agency. It said it was “very saddened by this accident”.

Opened in 1976 by the late Stanley Ho Hung-sun, a casino magnet in Macau, Jumbo restaurant has become a popular tourist attraction in the former British colony over the last four decades.

Known for its elegant traditional Chinese decorations and signature seafood dishes, the eatery of almost 80 meters in length has been repeatedly featured in films over the years, such as Jackie Chan’s 1985 film The Protector and the widely acclaimed Infernal Affairs II in 2003. Its high profile guests also included Queen Elizabeth II and the Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

The Covid pandemic dealt the restaurant a huge financial blow. It 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.

It said since the early days of the pandemic in 2020, Jumbo had a net loss of HK$100m (£10m). A lack of maintenance has also caused a 30-metre kitchen barge connected to the restaurant to sink earlier this month.

The restaurant was towed away last Tuesday to an unannounced location. Before its departure, the company said the vessel had been inspected by marine engineers and hoardings were installed, and all relevant approvals were obtained.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... -china-sea

Obviously they are going to turn it into a giant aircraft-style carrier capable of transporting diseased bats to all corners of the globe.

Scuttled for the insurance perhaps?
Is a “Casino Magnet” similar to a Fanny Magnet?

Chad Sexington wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:20 am Scuttled for the insurance perhaps?
Is a “Casino Magnet” similar to a Fanny Magnet?

My first thought. Too expensive to take apart, let’s just sink it.

"On it's way to an undisclosed location." They didn't disclose it because it never existed - except for the bottom of the sea!

Another result of the failure brought on by a lack of tourism due to the COVID lockdowns in HK.

Maybe it did not sink after all:

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/24/asia ... index.html

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 1:44 am Obviously they are going to turn it into a giant aircraft-style carrier capable of transporting diseased bats to all corners of the globe.

More likely a black site for molesting Buddhists, Muslims, and students with cattle prods.

How is that floating pile ever going to be ocean going or capable of being in the open sea? The first 10ft wave will go straight in followed by the next etc etc until it goes over. It's got no bow ffs, or sides for that matter.