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North Korea has detained three shipyard officials following a failed warship launch that saw a new 5,000-ton destroyer partially “crushed” at the northern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, state media reported.
Pyongyang’s KCNA news agency said an investigation into the incident was intensifying and that Chongjin shipyard’s chief engineer, the head of the hull construction, and the deputy manager for administrative affairs had been detained by law enforcement.
The agency had reported on Thursday that a “serious accident” took place during a launch ceremony for the ship, which is believed to be from the Choe Hyon class of destroyers.
The problem was said to have occurred after a loss of balance while the ship was being launched, with KCNA also blaming “inexperienced command and operational carelessness.”
Satellite images of the Chongjin port taken after the incident showed the destroyer on its side and covered in blue tarps, still partially resting on the pier.
KCNA said Thursday that some parts of the warship’s bottom had been “crushed” in the incident.
In an update Friday, it said that no holes had been identified on the ship’s bottom but that “the hull starboard was scratched and a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section.” On Sunday, the agency reported that no additional damage to the warship had been found.
North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un called the failed launch a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism,” per KCNA.
He added that those responsible for the error would need to be “dealt with” at a party meeting next month.
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