DoD photo of the small fishing boat fired on by a Navy supply ship Monday.
When Navy security personnel onboard USNS Rappahannock opened fire on a small boat near Dubai on Monday, killing one Indian fisherman and injuring three others, it was the final step in an effort to protect the ship without resorting to force.
The incident is not without controversy. One of the Indian fishermen onboard the small boat told Reuters they did not get any warnings before they were fired on.
"We were speeding up to try and go around them and then suddenly we got fired at," the injured fisherman said. The U.S. military is investigating the incident.
"We certainly regret the loss of life in this incident…. There were, in fact, warning measures that were taken based on what we know now. ," said Pentagon spokesman George Little.
The incident lasted just three minutes, according to a Central Command document obtained by CNN's Security Clearance. The document illustrates how the incident escalated in a quick succession of steps.
In Navy parlance, the USNS Rappahannock is an "underway replenishment oiler,” meaning it can supply warships while they are sailing at sea.
Notice it's USNS not USS, which means it is owned by the military, but it's not a warship. It has a civilian commander or "master" and a mostly civilian crew. The only Navy sailors onboard are the security detail protecting it.
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In the Arabian Sea water, the Indian fishermen community is the target of foreign Navy. This is the second tragic incident. Few months ago, in Kerala, the fishermen met with this kind of fatal accident. Such happenings are really posing threats to this community. In the south, invariably the Sri Lankan army creates problems to the fishermen. The govt of India should draw up a national policy to protect the livelihood of this community. The MEA should speed up its initiative to stop menace forthwith, besides educting such fishermen how to do fishing within the Indian waters. In the US kiilling of a fisherman, the newly married lady is forced to become a widow. What a tragedy!
ReplyDeleteRahul unfortunately we are being ruled by leaders who does not aware about word like National Pride. I am not blaming congress govt BJP would have done same thing what Mr Manmohan govt is doing.
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