▲ This undated file photo, provided by Reuters, shows a cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) Hormuz strait-S Korean vessel

(2nd LD) Explosion followed by fire reported on S. Korean vessel in Strait of Hormuz: foreign ministry

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By Oh Seok-min and Kim Hyun-soo

SEOUL/BUSAN, May 4 (Yonhap) -- A fire broke out Monday on a Panama-flagged vessel operated by a major South Korean shipping company and stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said.

An explosion followed by a fire occurred on the vessel operated by HMM Co. at around 8:40 p.m. while it was anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates within the strait, according to the ministry.

The vessel had 24 crew members on board -- six South Korean and 18 foreign nationals. No casualties have been reported so far, it added.

The cause of the explosion and fire, as well as the extent of the damage, is currently under investigation.

"The government will continue to communicate closely with relevant countries regarding the incident and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of South Korean vessels and crew members in the Strait of Hormuz," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier, the ministry said it was verifying information that a South Korean vessel stranded in the waterway may have come under attack.

The shipping company said a fire broke out in the engine room following an explosion on the bulk carrier, adding that crew members are currently working to extinguish the blaze.

"It is too early to determine whether it was caused by an external attack," a company official said.

A Cheong Wa Dae official said authorities are working to determine the cause of the fire, confirming that no casualties have been reported.

No National Security Council (NSC) meeting has been convened so far in connection with the incident, the official added, noting that the foreign and oceans ministries are handling the situation.

About 2,000 vessels remain stranded in the strait, including 26 South Korean-flagged ships.

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