South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on May 4 that a vessel operated by a South Korean company exploded and caught fire in waters near the United Arab Emirates within the Strait of Hormuz, with no casualties reported. The ship was sailing under the Panamanian flag and at anchor when the incident occurred.

The affected vessel, HMM Namu, is a bulk carrier of around 38,000 deadweight tons with an overall length of nearly 180 meters, owned by HMM. The company stated that all 24 crew members on board are safe, including 6 South Korean nationals and 18 foreign crew members. The cause of the explosion and subsequent fire remains under investigation.

According to analysis by maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, the blast took place near the port side of the engine room, potentially triggered by an unmanned surface vehicle or a drifting naval mine. Earlier, Yonhap News reported that South Korean authorities were verifying whether the vessel had come under attack.

Regional security tensions had already escalated notably ahead of the incident. Sources indicated that ships anchored near Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE received warnings to leave the anchorage area. On the same day, Iran announced the establishment of a new maritime control zone in the Strait of Hormuz, covering multiple key shipping lanes.

This incident marks the third attack targeting merchant vessels in the region within a 24-hour window. Previously on May 3, an oil tanker was struck by a suspected drone attack north of Fujairah, while another bulk carrier was harassed by several small boats near Sirik, Iran.

With no progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations, regional tensions continue to mount. The U.S. military stated that two guided-missile destroyers have entered the Persian Gulf, with two additional warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran’s restrictive maritime measures. Iran, meanwhile, claimed it had blocked a U.S. naval vessel from entering the area. Overall, navigational security risks in the strait are rising sharply.