The presidential office stated that it will likely take several days to determine the cause of an explosion and fire on a Panama-flagged bulk carrier operated by South Korea’s HMM Co. in the Strait of Hormuz. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung mentioned that the government plans to provide transparent updates once the cause is identified. The vessel will be towed to a nearby port for investigation by authorities from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal and the National Fire Agency.
The explosion occurred around 8:40 p.m. on Monday (Korean time) while the HMM Namu was anchored off the United Arab Emirates. The fire, originating in the engine room, was extinguished by crew members using carbon dioxide after about four hours. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the 24 crew members on board, consisting of six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals. HMM confirmed that the fire had been extinguished based on security camera footage and planned to assess the damage in the engine room.
The cause of the explosion and fire, along with the extent of the damage, remains under investigation. An HMM official mentioned that it is unclear whether the incident resulted from an external attack or an internal malfunction. The company intends to tow the freighter to Dubai, a process that is expected to take several days. South Korea is actively sharing information with the United States, Iran, and Gulf Cooperation Council members, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, regarding the incident.
