‘We had right of way’: when British fair play met Russian firepower off the Isle of Wight
Summary
A Russian warship fired warning shots near the Isle of Wight at a British couple’s yacht, Bright Future, after a close encounter in the English Channel. The couple say they had the right of way and that the British government downplayed the incident, while Russia claimed it followed international navigation rules to avoid a collision.Key Facts
- The incident happened about 20 nautical miles from the Isle of Wight in the English Channel.
- The Russian warship involved was the Admiral Grigorovich, a 125-meter frigate.
- The British yacht, Bright Future, is 12 meters long and owned by Jane and Alan Kelvey.
- The warship fired warning shots after the yacht reportedly failed to respond to signals, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.
- The Kelveys say they had the right of way and were simply sailing calmly at 5 knots on their way to France.
- The UK Ministry of Defence described the event as a “nautical incident” influenced by poor weather and navigation errors.
- The couple and some critics believe the British government is minimizing the Russian warship’s aggressive actions to avoid diplomatic trouble.
- Tensions between the UK and Russia are high, raising concerns that such incidents could worsen international relations.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.