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Satellite images have revealed the extent of a navy shipyard accident in North Korea that resulted in serious damage to a warship and infuriated the country’s leader Kim Jong-un.
On Wednesday, Kim watched as the 5,000-ton destroyer was partly “crushed” during its launch at the north-eastern shipyard of Chongjin. Kim called the incident a “criminal act” that could not be tolerated, according to state media.
Images taken by satellite show the warship lying on its side, with the bow of the vessel on land, while a large portion of the stern lies in the water. The stricken ship has been covered by large blue tarpaulins.
North Korea said it had has begun a full-scale investigation into the accident.
Pyongyang has said the incident on Wednesday was caused by a loss of balance while the vessel was being launched, and sections of the bottom of the warship were crushed.
An internal inspection found that there were no holes in the warship’s bottom, but the starboard hull was scratched and seawater flowed into the stern section through the rescue channel, the report said.
The extent of damage was “not serious,” the report said, adding the investigation group had been ordered to find the cause of the accident and those responsible for it. The report did not mention any injuries or deaths as a result of it.
The mishap likely occurred in front of a large crowd, increasing the public humiliation for Kim, military analysts said.
South Korea’s military said on Thursday that the ship was lying on its side in the water.
“The stern is seen swung out into the harbour as a result of the wheeled units placed under the frame sliding into the water while the bow remained on the side slipway,” said the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), citing satellite imagery.
The shipyard in Chongjin has primarily produced cargo vessels and fishing vessels and “undoubtedly lacks significant expertise” in launching large warships such as the new destroyer, CSIS added.
It would take two to three days to restore the balance of the warship by pumping up seawater from the flooded chamber and about 10 days to restore the warship’s side, the KCNA report said, citing experts’ estimates.
Treating the accident as a serious matter was part of an effort to fight against “incautiousness” and “irresponsibility,” according to KCNA.
Hong Kil Ho, the manager of the Chongjin shipyard, was summoned to the law enforcement organ on Thursday as it began measures to detain and investigate those responsible for the accident, the report said.
With Reuters
