South Korea says 'unidentified aircraft' hit cargo vessel in Hormuz

SEOUL: Unidentified aircraft have struck a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz this week, the foreign ministry said Sunday, days after the fire-damaged HMM Namu arrived at port in Dubai.

Following the attack, US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran had “taken some shots” at the Panama-flagged vessel and urged South Korea to join American operations aimed at restoring normal shipping through the strait.

The waterway has been virtually closed since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in late February, with Tehran responding with attacks across the Middle East and imposing a chokehold on the strait, rattling global energy markets.

On Monday, “two unidentified aircraft struck the outer plate of the port-side ballast tank at the stern of the HMM Namu at roughly one-minute intervals, causing flames and smoke”, Seoul’s foreign ministry spokesman Park Il told a news briefing.

He did not specify what kind of aircraft had been involved in the attack, saying they “were captured on CCTV footage, but there are limitations in identifying the exact type, launch origin and physical size of the objects”.

Further analysis will be conducted on “engine debris and other fragments”, he added.

The damage to the cargo ship, which had 24 crew members on board, spanned about “five metres (16.5 feet) wide and extended roughly seven metres (23 feet) into the hull” on the port-side stern, Park said.

“The engine room fire is believed to have been ignited by the first strike, with the second strike appearing to have caused the blaze to spread rapidly.”

Tehran has denied responsibility for the attack, with its embassy in Seoul posting a statement on its website saying that it “firmly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement” of its forces.

Iran’s ambassador to South Korea was summoned to the foreign ministry to explain Tehran’s position regarding the findings, Park said.