This post is appearing on Autoblog Military, Autoblog's sub-site dedicated to the vehicles, aircraft and ships of the world's armed forces.
Ah, well, this is awkward. Remember those two US Navy patrol boats that were captured by Iran last week? Yeah, they didn't exactly "drift" off course. According to Military Times, US Central Command confirmed that the boats actually veered off course before they suffered any mechanical problems. The entire event is still under investigation by the Navy, and although CENTCOM said the boat went off course, it didn't go as far as saying why.
The Navy also announced a number of other details about last week's incident. The boats were originally approached by two small Iranian ships. They were followed by two more, with extra armed sailors. The Navy's statement indicated that there was a verbal exchange between the two sides, but no gunfire was exchanged. The American sailors were then boarded and forced "at gunpoint" to a port on Iran's Farsi Island, Military Times reports.
According to the report, the Navy was aware that the Iranians were looking at the two boats and lost communications just 30 minutes later. A large-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched just 30 minutes after losing contact, but it was another couple hours before the Iranians contacted the cruiser USS Anzio. According to the report, the Anzio's crew was told the sailors were "safe and healthy" at the start of their 15-hour ordeal.
The only equipment from the two patrol boats that was taken by the Iranians were a pair of satellite phone SIM cards.
Ah, well, this is awkward. Remember those two US Navy patrol boats that were captured by Iran last week? Yeah, they didn't exactly "drift" off course. According to Military Times, US Central Command confirmed that the boats actually veered off course before they suffered any mechanical problems. The entire event is still under investigation by the Navy, and although CENTCOM said the boat went off course, it didn't go as far as saying why.
The Navy also announced a number of other details about last week's incident. The boats were originally approached by two small Iranian ships. They were followed by two more, with extra armed sailors. The Navy's statement indicated that there was a verbal exchange between the two sides, but no gunfire was exchanged. The American sailors were then boarded and forced "at gunpoint" to a port on Iran's Farsi Island, Military Times reports.
According to the report, the Navy was aware that the Iranians were looking at the two boats and lost communications just 30 minutes later. A large-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched just 30 minutes after losing contact, but it was another couple hours before the Iranians contacted the cruiser USS Anzio. According to the report, the Anzio's crew was told the sailors were "safe and healthy" at the start of their 15-hour ordeal.
The only equipment from the two patrol boats that was taken by the Iranians were a pair of satellite phone SIM cards.
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