South Korea's prime minister and defence minister apologised as hundreds of Covid-19-infected sailors were flown to Seoul today after a navy destroyer patrolling the waters off Africa was found to be riddled with the coronavirus, Reuters reports.

Almost 250 of the 301-strong unvaccinated crew aboard the destroyer Munmu the Great were infected, sparking a public furore at the government's failure to protect those serving abroad.

"I apologise for having failed to take better care of the health of our soldiers who devoted themselves to the country," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told an intra-agency Covid-19 meeting as he promised treatment and recovery support for the crew, 12 of whom are in critical condition.