Navy Fires Warning Shots At Small Boats In Suez Canal - Egypt Claims Death
Pictured: The Global Patriot, a U.S. cargo ship which was under short term charter to the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, sails in the Suez canal in Ismailia, Egypt, Tuesday March 25, 2008.
Dude, do not, I re-freakin-peat, do not, do not, do not, do not, EVER approach an American or American-protected vessel with a small boat ever again in the history of the world…or you will be taken out…
SUEZ, Egypt— Dozens of angry mourners buried an Egyptian man Tuesday who they said was killed by shots fired from an American cargo ship contracted to the U.S. Navy as it passed through the Suez Canal.
U.S. officials said American military guards aboard the ship only fired warning shots toward approaching motorboats Monday night and said they had received no report of anyone being killed.
The incident occurred when the merchant ship Global Patriot entered the canal from the Red Sea and was approached by small motorboats that ply the waterway selling goods to passing ships, according to both Egyptian and U.S. accounts of the incident.
The Navy has been leery of small boats getting near its warships since al-Qaida suicide attackers rammed an explosives-packed motorboat into the USS Cole off Yemen, killing 17 sailors in 2000.
Cmdr. Lydia Robertson, spokeswoman for the Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet, said cargo ships sailing under contract to the Navy follow the same rules of engagement as American warships in dealing with approaching boats.
“The boats were hailed and warned by a native Arabic speaker using a bullhorn to warn them to turn away. A warning flare was then fired,” the U.S. Embassy in Cairo said in a statement. “One small boat continued to approach the ship and received two sets of warning shots 20-30 yards in front of the bow. All shots were accounted for as they entered the water.”
A U.S. Navy security team aboard the ship fired the shots, said Lt. Nathan Christensen, the 5th Fleet’s deputy spokesman.
The Navy said in a statement that it was investigating, but that initial reports from the ship indicated there were no casualties.
An Egyptian security official at the canal, however, said one man was fatally shot in the small boat and the three other men with him were wounded. The official agreed to discuss the incident only if he was not identified, because he was not authorized to talk to journalists.
The Egyptian state news agency MENA also reported one man was killed. There was no immediate comment from Egypt’s government.
(AP)
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Yeah, the muj killed the helmsman for getting them too close.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:34 pmGreat job men. That’s what I love, protecting the interests of The U.S.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:34 pmKnowing the Navy, they have some really strict ROE’s. No doubt they followed them to the letter.
That’s good advice for the jihadis and their sympathizers…Don’t EVER approach a US flagged ship with a small boat…unless you plan on dying.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:03 pmWhat does Ron Paul have to say about this?
March 25th, 2008 at 7:47 pm$2 Billion of aid is paid to Egypt every year.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:36 am