HMM Na Muho Fire: Was It an Intentional Attack? Investigating the Mystery Behind the Incident
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[Anchor] The government says its investigation found that the fire aboard the HMM vessel Namu in the Strait of Hormuz resulted from a strike by an unidentified aerial vehicle. Iranian authorities, who have denied responsibility, have not issued an official response. For more, we go to our Middle East correspondent. Kim Seon-hong, over to you. [Reporter] I’m in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After explosions and a fire aboard the HMM vessel Namu in the Strait of Hormuz, a joint government investigation team conducted detailed inspections here in Dubai for three days. Their preliminary finding: the ship was struck by an unidentified aerial vehicle. Investigators say the evidence points to a deliberate attack rather than an accident. Iran has not issued an official response to that finding. Earlier, Iran’s foreign ministry said Iran was not involved in the fire, but state-run Press TV reported that the Korean vessel had been targeted, highlighting divisions inside Iran over the cause. Our government did not name a specific perpetrator, but the finding of an external attack increases pressure on Iran to provide an official account. Analysts say Iran may be keeping its stance vague to limit immediate fallout. With inspections complete, the Namu now faces substantial repairs. An HMM official said the company cannot yet estimate the scope or timeline of repairs and expects significant lost opportunity costs from the ship’s suspension of commercial operations. [Anchor] The immediate problem is that 26 Korea-related vessels remain stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. That raises growing concern about safety measures for those ships and their crews. [Reporter] That’s correct. Twenty-six Korea-affiliated vessels, including the Namu, remain immobilized in the Strait of Hormuz. About 160 Korean crew members are aboard those ships. Now that investigators say the Namu suffered an external strike, officials and industry groups are calling for urgent safety measures. The government is monitoring Korean vessels in the Strait around the clock and sharing safety information, but it cannot guarantee physical protection. Yesterday, reports said a bulk carrier near Qatar was struck by an unidentified projectile. That area lies further inland to the west of the Strait and was one of the locations our government advised Korean ships to move to immediately after the Namu fire. As Iran extends its control across parts of the Gulf, the safe options for our remaining ships are narrowing. This is Kim Seon-hong in Dubai for Yonhap News TV. [Live connection: Ham Jeong-tae] #US #Iran #drone #Korea #Hormuz #HMM #attack #struck #Dubai #Gulf Yonhap News TV — news tips and inquiries: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23, Kim Seon-hong (redsun@yna.co.kr)
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