War in the Middle East: South Korean ship on fire after explosion in the Strait of Hormuz

A versatile cargo ship around 180 meters long

A South Korean vessel, the HMM Namu, is a versatile cargo ship measuring around 180 meters. This announcement from Seoul comes after state media in Iran 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 4, 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 liquefied natural gas production usually passes.

At around 8:40 pm in Seoul (11:40 am GMT), “an explosion followed by a fire occurred on board a ship chartered by a South Korean maritime company, anchored in the waters near the United Arab Emirates, in the Strait of Hormuz,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The causes of the explosion and fire, as well as the exact extent of the damages, are currently under investigation,” it added.

The vessel involved, the HMM Namu, is a versatile cargo ship around 180 meters long, 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 American cruisers into the Persian Gulf as part of a plan to facilitate the departure of blocked commercial ships.

<p"The Korean government will continue to engage with concerned countries on this issue and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Korean ships 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, a large part of which passes through the Strait of Hormuz.