After cracking a bottle of champagne over the hull of the SS Jiugang and snapping a few photos, the Jiugang Group pushed its luxury yacht into the waters of the Yellow River. It was a very proud moment… for about twenty seconds. Turns out that the $2.5 million boat wasn’t exactly seaworthy. The SS Jiugang sank on its maiden voyage.
Here’s a video of the worst boat launch in history.
A Lanzhou city Ministry of Transportation official said that the prompt sinking of the SS Jiugang was due to “improper handling from the builders who mistakenly estimated the water level causing the water level to exceed the limit, leading to the rear half of the ship to take on water and sink.”
Gizmodo reports that no one was injured in the accident.
Chinasmack reports that the SS Jiugang was one of major projects in Lanzhou. The $2.5 million was invested by the Jiugang Group while the Lanzhou Ministry of Transportation was responsible for the construction. The SS Jiugang will be Lanzhou’s largest, most luxurious boat… you know, once it can float.
The Lanzhou Ministry of Transportation said that the SS Jiugang wasn’t damaged in the incident. They expect the boat to launch again next month.
Would you step foot on the SS Jiugang?
