An explosion and fire broke out on a Korean vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, prompting the South Korean government to verify intelligence reports that the ship had been attacked, the same day the United States launched "Project Freedom," an operation to help civilian vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf escape through the strait.
According to the government, the incident occurred at around 8:40 p.m. on a general cargo ship operated by HMM that was anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on the inner side of the Hormuz area.
"The vessel was carrying six Korean crew members and 18 foreign crew members, and no casualties have been reported so far," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. HMM said it was "cautious about characterizing the incident as an attack."
The government is investigating the exact cause of the damage and the circumstances of the incident, while reviewing whether additional safety measures are needed.
