Oceans Ministry Orders Korean Vessels Near Hormuz to Move to Safer Waters

Emergency Meeting Held on Hormuz Vessel Fire and Explosion
Explosion and Fire on HMM Namu on May 4; No Crew Injuries
Exact Cause of the Incident to Be Determined After Vessel Towing

On May 4, following the explosion and fire incident on the HMM Namu (Panama-flagged) vessel anchored inside the Hormuz Strait, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries instructed nearby Korean vessels to move to safer waters.

Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, is presiding over an emergency meeting regarding the fire and explosion of a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries

Immediately after receiving the report of the incident, the Ministry disseminated the situation to relevant agencies and convened an emergency situation review meeting presided over by the Minister at around 10 p.m. During the meeting, Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, emphasized that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure the safety of Korean crew members and vessels, and directed nearby Korean vessels to move to safer waters. On the morning of May 5, the Ministry held another situation review meeting, again led by the Minister, to reassess the related developments.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, all 24 crew members aboard the HMM Namu, including six Korean nationals, were confirmed to be unharmed. The fire on the vessel has been completely extinguished, and the Ministry has assessed that there is no further damage.

An official from the Ministry stated, "It is currently uncertain whether the vessel can resume normal operations. After towing it to a nearby port, we will assess the extent of the damage and proceed with repairs. However, a detailed towing schedule has not yet been determined." The official added, "The precise cause of the accident is expected to be identified during the process of damage assessment after the towing is completed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.