Tehran, May 07 : This is the first time a South Korean ship has exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, the epicenter of the US-Iran standoff.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the cargo ship ‘HMM Namu’ has exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first time a South Korean commercial ship has been damaged in the strategic waterway since the conflict in the Middle East intensified.
According to sources, the attacked ship weighs 35,000 tons and was operated by South Korea’s largest container company ‘HMM’ under the Panamanian flag. All 24 crew members (6 South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals) on board the ship at the time of the attack were safe and no one was injured.
The attack took place at around 8:40 p.m. Korean time on Monday night while the ship was anchored in the sea near the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A fire broke out in the engine room after the explosion, but crews extinguished it after four hours. The ship is currently being towed to the port of Dubai.
The incident is under investigation and it is not yet clear whether it was a mechanical failure or an attack. However, intelligence reports suggest that the ship was attacked, with drones or missiles likely.
US President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for the attack. He has also suggested that South Korea join its ‘Project Freedom’ naval initiative to protect ships stranded in the strait.