Although the operator of one of the tankers said on Friday that the vessel had been struck by “a flying object,” expressing doubt that a mine had been attached to its hull, the United States stuck to its explanation. Here’s what we know about limpet mines. What are these things? A limpet mine is a type of naval mine that is usually manually placed by a swimmer, diver or frogman on the underside of a ship’s hull. Named for a type of mollusk, or shellfish, that sticks to rocks and is hard to remove, limpet mines are similarly stuck fast to their targets, usually with magnets.

Source: International New York Times June 14, 2019 20:04 UTC