A British couple sailing on their yacht in the English Channel were startled by warning shots fired by a Russian warship. Jane Kelvey, 68, and her husband Alan, 70, were aboard their 40ft British-flagged yacht Bright Future when the incident occurred around 11.40am on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the shots were fired as a cautionary measure after the yacht approached too close to the frigate. The PM characterized the event as “reckless” but not “sinister.”
However, Mr. Kelvey disputed the MoD’s account, stating that they did not receive any radio communication from the warship as claimed. He refuted the MoD’s assertion that there were visibility issues due to fog and that flares were used, insisting that both vessels had clear visibility of each other.
The couple had set sail from Lymington, Hampshire, early Tuesday morning en route to Cherbourg, France, when the warning shots were fired approximately 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK waters.
The Russian Defence Ministry contended that the yacht was on a “dangerous course” and that the frigate attempted to make contact through flares and sound signals before resorting to warning shots as per maritime regulations.
The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions between the UK and Russia following the recent seizure of the oil tanker Smyrtos. The Admiral Grigorovich, known for escorting sanctioned vessels in the Channel, was under observation by the patrol ship HMS Mersey during the incident.
Speaking at the G7 summit in France, Sir Keir Starmer remarked that the incident was regrettable and emphasized Russia’s aggressive behavior in Europe. While labeling the event as reckless, he echoed the MoD’s assessment that it was a drifting warship rather than a deliberate provocation.
In response to claims that the MoD was trying to suppress the story, a Downing Street spokesperson referred to the incident as an “isolated event,” reiterating the UK’s willingness to confront Russia when necessary.
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