The bulk carrier HMM Namu is docked at the Drydocks World Dubai shipyard in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, as a Korean government investigation team boards the vessel to examine the cause of a fire that broke out aboard the ship on May 4. Yonhap

The Korean government said Sunday that a joint investigation team has concluded that two unidentified airborne objects struck the stern of the Korean-operated bulk carrier HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government team conducted an on-site inspection on Friday and determined that the unidentified objects hit the vessel’s rear section on May 4.

The ministry said there are limitations in determining the exact type and physical size of the objects, adding that further analysis will be conducted on debris collected at the scene.

The Panama-flagged vessel operated by Korean company HMM caught fire after an explosion while anchored off the coast of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. All 24 crew members aboard the ship were reported safe.

At a later briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said two unidentified airborne objects struck the vessel about one minute apart, hitting the port-side outer hull of the stern and triggering flames, smoke and strong vibrations throughout the ship.

“The fire is believed to have started after the first strike and rapidly spread following the second impact,” Park explained.

According to the investigation, the vessel’s outer hull was damaged across an area about 5 meters wide, with the impact extending roughly 7 meters into the interior of the ship. He added that the ship’s internal frame bent inward while sections of the outer hull protruded outward, indicating an external impact.

Park said investigators found no abnormalities in the vessel’s engine, generators or boiler systems, indicating the fire was unlikely to have originated from within the vessel.

A photo released by the foreign ministry, Sunday, shows damage aboard the HMM-operated bulk carrier HMM Namu following a fire near the Strait of Hormuz, May 4. The ministry said the incident was caused by unidentified airborne objects striking the vessel. Red markings indicate the area where the fire broke out, while yellow markings show the direction of hull penetration. Courtesy of the ministry

Source: Korea Times News