“The engine resembled an Iranian turbojet engine, and parts were found to bear markings presumed to be from an Iranian manufacturer,” he said.
The damage to the 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, according to the South Korean government.
The first strike is believed to have ignited an engine room fire, with the second appearing to have caused the blaze to spread rapidly.
A photo released by the foreign ministry shows the ship’s engine room heavily burned.
Another photo shows a large breach in the outer hull near the stern, with twisted metal and internal frames visible around the impact area.
South Korea, Asia’s fourth-largest economy, relies heavily on Middle Eastern fuel imports, most of which transited through the Strait of Hormuz before it was effectively closed.
