Seatrade-Maritime: HMM Namu hit twice in Gulf attack

Published by Seatrade-Maritime

Multipurpose vessel HMM Namu was struck twice in attack in the Arabian Gulf on 4 May that punctured its hull and caused a fire.

Local press reported a a South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Park Il was quoted as saying 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.

The investigation found that the vessel’s outer hull was damaged across an area about five metres wide, with the impact extending roughly seven metres into the interior of the ship.

It has not been determined what type of projectile hit the vessel. All 24 crew on board the ship were safe following the attack.

South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac strongly condemned the attack in a government briefing on Monday.

“We maintain the position that attacks on civilian vessels, including the HMM Namu, cannot be justified or tolerated.” Director Wi added, “Through further investigations, we aim to identify the perpetrator of the attack, the exact model, physical size, and other details,” and “We will consider necessary measures accordingly.