US Navy Ship Fires on Boat in Persian Gulf
Created: 2012-07-17 10:57 EST
Category: World > North America
A US Navy ship fired on an approaching vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates yesterday (July 16) after warnings were ignored, the US Navy said in a statement.
USNS Rappahannock fired rounds from a .50-caliber machine gun after repeated attempts “to warn the vessel’s operators to turn away” failed.
"In accordance with Navy force protection procedures, the sailors on the USNS Rappahannock (T-AO-204) used a series of non-lethal, preplanned responses to warn the vessel before resorting to lethal force," the Navy said in the statement.
After the incident the damaged boat docked in a small Dubai port used by fishermen.
The ships were in the Persian Gulf, near Jebel Ali.
Tensions have been high in the area recently, as Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz over sanctions related to its nuclear program.
One-fifth of the world’s oil travels through the strait.
The US Navy said it is investigating the incident.
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