Seoul, May 5 The presidential office said on Tuesday it will likely take several days to determine the cause of an explosion and fire aboard a Panama-flagged bulk carrier operated by South Korea's HMM Co. in the Strait of Hormuz.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung made the remarks in a written briefing after senior presidential officials, including presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, held a meeting to discuss the response to the fire, reports Yonhap news agency.
"It is expected to take several days to analyse the cause," the spokesperson said. "The government will brief the public transparently after swiftly and accurately determining the cause of the incident."
The spokesperson said the vessel will be towed to a nearby port using a tugboat for investigation, with investigators from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal and the National Fire Agency to be dispatched.
The explosion occurred at about 8:40 p.m. Monday (Korean time), while the HMM Namu was anchored in waters off the United Arab Emirates (UAE), HMM said. The fire began in the engine room, and crew members used carbon dioxide to fight the blaze for about four hours. No injuries were reported, the company said Tuesday.
HMM said security camera footage showed the fire had been put out and said it would later inspect the engine room to assess the damage.
The freighter had 24 crew members on board -- six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals.
The cause of the explosion and fire, as well as the extent of the damage, is currently under investigation.
"It remains unclear whether the incident was caused by an external attack or an internal malfunction," an HMM official said.
HMM said it plans to tow the freighter to Dubai, a process expected to take several days.
The spokesperson said South Korea is sharing relevant information with the United States, Iran and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
She said the oceans ministry and the Cheonghae naval unit operating in the Gulf of Aden are in communication with the HMM Namu, adding the government is in daily contact with the 26 South Korean ships anchored in the strait.
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has taken shots at a South Korean cargo ship and other targets as he called on Seoul to participate in a mission to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The presidential office separately said it is reviewing Trump's proposal by considering the readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula and domestic legal procedures.
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