South Korean Naval Frigate Ammunition Blast Kills One

A sailor was killed after suffering serious head injuries following an explosion on a South Korean naval frigate.

The incident happened at around 12.20 pm local time 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 kms south of Seoul, Yonhap reported Tuesday.

The 21-year-old wounded officerwas 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.