North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was left fuming after his country’s new naval destroyer suffered significant damage during a failed launch ceremony this week, according to satellite imagery captured by Maxar Technologies. Photos show the 5,000-ton ship lying on its side, half lodged on a launch slipway and partially submerged in water at the northeastern port of Chongjin. The destroyer was reportedly covered with a blue tarp to conceal the extent of the damage.
The commercially available photo from Maxar Technologies also depicts the ship in pristine condition before the launch. However, during the launch, a flatcar guiding the vessel failed to move, causing the warship to fall off balance. This resulted in crush damage to the hull and the ship’s stern sliding down the launch slipway and into the water.
Kim Jong Un reportedly blamed military officials, scientists, and shipyard operators for the accident, calling it a “serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.” He demanded that the damage be repaired before the communist Working Party’s meeting in June. Kim warned that any mistakes caused by the “irresponsibility of the relevant officials” would be investigated during the meeting.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/world/satellite-images-reveal-north-koreas-mangled-naval-destroyer-failed-launch
