A Panama-flagged Korean general cargo vessel, the HMM Namu, sustained damage from an explosion while at anchor in the offshore anchorage area (OPL) off Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates. The incident occurred on 4 May 2024, and a distress signal was relayed at 11:40 UTC by a nearby vessel.
The HMM Namu, built in 2026 and with a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 38,000, was struck on the port side near the engine room, according to maritime security firm Vanguard Tech. Preliminary assessments by regional security sources suggest the explosive device may have been delivered via an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) or originated from a drifting sea mine. Coalition naval forces were subsequently deployed to the location and are currently conducting situational assessment and maritime security operations.
All 24 crew members aboard the vessel are confirmed safe. The crew comprises six South Korean nationals and 18 seafarers of other nationalities. As of the latest reports, there is no indication of environmental impact or structural compromise affecting vessel stability or pollution risk.
This incident follows heightened navigational advisories issued over the preceding weekend, urging vessels anchored off Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, to relocate from designated anchorage areas. It also coincides with Iran’s announcement on 4 May of a newly declared maritime control zone in the Strait of Hormuz—defined by geodetic boundaries extending southward from a line connecting Mount Mubarak (Iran) and a point south of Fujairah (UAE), and westward from a line linking the southern tip of Qeshm Island (Iran) and Umm Al Quwain (UAE).
Notably, this constitutes the third reported attack against a commercial vessel in the broader Gulf region within a 24-hour period:
— At 19:40 UTC on 3 May, a tanker was struck by suspected unmanned aerial systems approximately 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah;
— At 11:30 UTC on 3 May, a bulk carrier was attacked by multiple small surface vessels approximately 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, while proceeding northbound toward the Strait of Hormuz.
Resource.: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OjC9K5f4HTasKyiOUI2zaQ