The Korea Coast Guard held an emergency situation review meeting after an explosion, suspected to be from an attack, occurred on a Korean vessel anchored in the Strait of Hormuz.
Acting Commissioner Jang In-sik convened the emergency meeting on the morning of the 5th following the explosion and fire aboard a cargo ship operated by Korea's HMM in the Strait of Hormuz. He instructed officials to assess the situation and strengthen rescue cooperation with Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) in neighboring countries.
After receiving reports of the explosion and fire on the Korean vessel, the Korea Coast Guard shared the situation around 9 p.m., some 20 minutes after the incident, with maritime rescue agencies in five neighboring countries — the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman — and requested cooperation for a swift rescue in case of emergency. The UAE Rescue Coordination Center, which oversees the area where the incident occurred, reportedly responded that it would actively cooperate to ensure the safety of the vessel.
The explosion and fire broke out on the port side of the engine room of the cargo ship "Namu," operated by Korean shipping company HMM, at around 8:40 p.m. on the 4th while the vessel was anchored in waters near the UAE within the Strait of Hormuz. A total of 24 people were aboard the ship, including six Korean nationals. No casualties have been reported so far.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government authorities are working to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, while communicating with relevant countries and taking measures to ensure the safety of the vessel and its crew.
