Large Fire Breaks Out on US Navy Ship That Participated in Sewol Ferry Rescue

USS Bonhomme Richard, US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship, Catches Fire While Docked
All Crew Evacuated... 11 Under Treatment

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A large fire broke out on the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the U.S. Navy that was involved in the Sewol ferry rescue operation.

Smoke is rising from a fire at Bonhomme Richard. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to The Times on the 12th (local time), the fire occurred at 8:15 a.m. while the USS Bonhomme Richard was docked at the San Diego Naval Base for repairs. After all crew members evacuated, explosions also occurred. The San Diego fire department, along with the Navy, responded to extinguish the fire, but the flames have not yet been brought under control.

The U.S. Navy stated that about 200 crew members were on board at the time of the fire, and currently 11 have been transported to hospitals.

The USS Bonhomme Richard, where the fire broke out, is a vessel familiar to Korea as well. The 45,000-ton amphibious assault ship capable of carrying F-35 fighter jets, the Bonhomme Richard, was formerly part of the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet and participated multiple times in joint U.S.-Korea exercises such as Key Resolve (KR) and Ssangyong Training, before returning to the U.S. in 2018 after a mission handover with the Wasp (LHD-1).

The USS Bonhomme Richard was also deployed to the site to support rescue efforts during the Sewol ferry sinking.