This photo released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday, shows a fire-damaged engine room of the Korean cargo vessel HMM Namu docked at a port in Dubai. AFP-Yonhap
The defense ministry said Monday it will provide "necessary support" for follow-up steps in an investigation into the recent explosion and fire on a Korean-operated cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, after an initial probe determined it had been hit by an external attack.
Announcing the results of the probe Sunday, Seoul said two unidentified flying objects struck the vessel on May 4, causing a 5-by-7-meter breach in the ship's stern. The government said it plans to collect debris of the engine and other equipment for further analysis.
"We are in communication with relevant ministries and agencies based on the confirmed facts and will continue to provide necessary support," Lee Kyung-ho, deputy defense ministry spokesperson, said in a regular press briefing.
Lee was responding to a question about whether the findings will expand the scope of the military's involvement in the investigation.
Seoul has dispatched a seven-member team of officials from maritime and firefighting authorities to investigate the vessel, now anchored at a port in Dubai. The military is said to have assisted in the investigation indirectly without sending its personnel yet.
The government said it plans to continue the investigation to identify the actor behind the attack and the exact means used based on engine debris and other evidence.
The military is expected to dispatch experts and other personnel to support the follow-up investigation.
Photos of the damage, released by the foreign ministry, suggest a possible strike by suicide drones, a type of weapon frequently used by Iranian forces in the ongoing war against the United States and Israel.
Iran has denied any involvement in the incident.
Source: Korea Times News
