The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Ammunition blast on Navy vessel kills 1 sailor

By Yonhap

Published : June 19, 2018 - 14:44

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TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- One sailor was killed after suffering a serious head injury following an explosion on a naval vessel off the southern coast on Tuesday. 

The accident happened at around 12:20 p.m. on a 1,500-ton Masan naval frigate about 25 nautical miles south of an island off the southern coastal city of Tongyeong, about 380 kilometers south of Seoul. 


This photo is irrelevant to the contents of the article. (Yonhap) This photo is irrelevant to the contents of the article. (Yonhap)

The wounded officer, identified as a 21-year-old Petty Officer 1st Class surnamed Lee, was taken to a hospital via a Navy chopper and was later pronounced dead. The explosion was probably caused as he was removing ammunition from a 30-mm gun to prepare for live-fire drills, the Navy said. 

The authorities plan to start investigating the scene as soon as the vessel docks at a port in the southern city of Changwon. (Yonhap)