Hong Kong: This Iconic Floating Restaurant That Featured In A Bond Movie Just Sank After 50 Years Of Operation

An iconic floating restaurant in Hong Kong which featured in a Bond Movie has sunk after 50 years of operation. Some notable guests who visited the restaurant include the Queen and Tom Cruise.

Over the years, more than three million guests are believed to have eaten the floating restaurant's Cantonese cuisine. Some notable guests include the Queen, Tom Cruise and Virgin Galactic-founder Richard Branson. 

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An iconic floating restaurant in Hong Kong has sunk after 50 years of operation. A few days back, the restaurant was towed away from the harbour where it operated for a long time.

While the Jumbo restaurant was on its way to an undisclosed location, it turned upside down in the South China Sea, BBC News reported.

Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises, the restaurant's parent company, said it was "very saddened by the incident", but that no crew members were injured, according to a BBC report. 

The Floating Restaurant Was Featured In A Bond Movie

Over the years, more than three million guests are believed to have eaten the restaurant's Cantonese cuisine. Some notable guests include the Queen, Tom Cruise and Virgin Galactic-founder Richard Branson. 

The Jumbo restaurant was closed in March 2020, after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The restaurant had featured in several films, including the Roger Moore-starrer The Man with the Golden Gun, the ninth in the James Bond series. 

Business Had Not Been Profitable For The Restaurant For Many Years

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people stopped visiting the restaurant, causing the business to go down.

Though the Jumbo restaurant was an iconic landmark of Hong Kong, it had not been profitable since 2013. 

The owners said that marine engineers had been hired to inspect the floating restaurant before the trip, and "all relevant approvals" had been obtained, according to the report. 

The restaurant awaited a new operator, and was due to stay at an undisclosed location.

Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises said that it sank on Sunday near the Paracel Islands after it "encountered adverse conditions" and started to take on water.

Quoting the parent company, the report said the water depth at the scene is over 1,000 metres, making it extremely difficult to carry out salvage works.

The Jumbo restaurant had financial issues for years, even before the pandemic. Last month, Operator Melco International Development said the business had not been profitable since 2013.