Arabic version: مدمرة روسية تطلق طلقات تحذيرية بالقرب من يخت بريطاني في القناة
A Russian warship, the Admiral Grigorovich, fired warning shots near a UK-registered yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday morning after the two vessels came into close contact. The incident, involving Russian frigate the Admiral Grigorovich, happened between the Isle of Wight and Normandy shortly before midday. According to BBC News, the small yacht drifted towards the warship in foggy conditions after departing from the UK.
The Russian Defence Ministry stated that the yacht was on a “dangerous approach” towards the warship. The crew of the frigate attempted to contact the yacht via radio and launched warning flares before firing into its path with rifles. They claimed their actions were in “strict accordance with international shipping regulations.” The British Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the incident, which reportedly involved a couple in their 60s who did not hear the warship’s horn.
A spokesperson from the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the warning shots were not aimed directly at the yacht but were intended to prevent a potential collision. A boat from HMS Tyne, a British patrol vessel, was sent to the yacht to ensure the safety of its crew and gather further details.
This incident follows a recent operation by Royal Marine Commandos, who intercepted a Russian tanker suspected of carrying sanctioned oil in the Channel. However, British officials do not believe this current incident is connected to that operation. The Admiral Grigorovich was being monitored by HMS Mersey, and the Royal Navy has stated that Russian warships regularly transit the Channel in international waters.
The yacht’s occupants reported that the warning shots were fired from approximately 500 yards away, a relatively close distance in maritime terms. The incident occurred about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters. Former Royal Navy rear admiral James Parkin commented that the use of armed force should be a last resort, suggesting the warning shots may have been a miscalculation rather than a deliberate act against a British vessel.
