A South Korean vessel, the HMM Namu, is a versatile cargo ship of about 180 meters. This announcement from Seoul comes after Iranian state media reported that the Iranian navy had fired warning shots in the strait.
An “explosion” followed by a fire hit a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, May 4th, as announced by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reported no casualties on board.
Since the Israeli-American offensive on February 28, Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas production usually passes.
At around 8:40 pm Seoul time (11:40 GMT), “an explosion followed by a fire occurred on board a vessel chartered by a South Korean shipping company, anchored in the waters near the United Arab Emirates, in the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry stated in a release.
A versatile cargo ship of about 180 meters
“The causes of the explosion and fire, as well as the exact extent of the damage, are currently under investigation,” it added.
The ship in question, the HMM Namu, is a versatile cargo ship of about 180 meters, flying the Panamanian flag, according to data from the MarineTraffic website.
This announcement from Seoul comes after Iranian state media reported on Monday that the Iranian navy had fired warning shots in the strait, following the entry of US cruisers into the Persian Gulf as part of a plan to facilitate the departure of stranded commercial ships.
“The Korean government will stay in touch with the relevant countries on this matter and will take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Korean vessels and crews in the Strait of Hormuz,” added the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Like many Asian economies, South Korea heavily relies on fuel imports from the Middle East, with a significant portion passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
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