Two US Navy riverine patrol boats captured by Iranian Navy (IRGC) and Ten sailors were detained. Though Iranian authority had originally told the US that the sailors would be returned promptly, but later soldiers had to spent a night in Iran, media reports. Iran say to return the sailors to the Navy today (Wednesday) morning, a US defense official told to the media.
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| This type of U.S. Navy Riverine Command Patrol Boats were captured by Iranian Navy near Farsi Island in Parsian Gulf. |
A senior administration official confirmed earlier they lost contact with two small US naval craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain and claimed the drift of those two boats into Iranian waters as a mechanical defect. The official further said "We subsequently have been in communication with Iranian authorities, who have informed us of the safety and well-being of our personnel. We have received assurances the sailors will promptly be allowed to continue their journey." Another senior US administration official told CNN that there's nothing to indicate anything hostile on the part of Iran. Administration officials also reportedly said that releasing the sailors at night would be "unsafe."
Though, later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the 10 American sailors, who are now being held at an IRGC naval base on Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran said that members of the elite IRGC had confiscated GPS equipment from the boats for the due check whether this drift of US Navy boats were a unintentional technical fault or deliberate sneak-peak. And as per news agency IRGC officials iterates that the data from the equipment would "prove that the American ships [were] 'snooping' around in Iranian waters."
Though, later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized the 10 American sailors, who are now being held at an IRGC naval base on Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran said that members of the elite IRGC had confiscated GPS equipment from the boats for the due check whether this drift of US Navy boats were a unintentional technical fault or deliberate sneak-peak. And as per news agency IRGC officials iterates that the data from the equipment would "prove that the American ships [were] 'snooping' around in Iranian waters."
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| Satellite map |
Ben Rhodes, the White House's deputy national security adviser, told reporters that the US is "working to resolve the situation such that any US personnel are returned to their normal deployment." According to a senior US official told the media that US Secretary of State John Kerry immediately called Iran's minister of foreign affairs, Javad Zarif, upon learning of the incident at around 12:30 p.m. EST. Kerry "personally engaged with Zarif on this issue to try to get to this outcome," the official said.
The latest incident comes on the heels of Iran's rocket test in late December near US warships and boats passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The incident also comes hours before US President Barack Obama is due to give his final State of the Union address before Congress. This is not the first time Iran has detained Western navy sailors operating in or near Iranian waters. In 2004, 15 British Royal Navy personnel from a training team based in southern Iraq were detained while delivering a boat from Umm Qsar to Basra, then The Telegraph reported.
The latest incident comes on the heels of Iran's rocket test in late December near US warships and boats passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The incident also comes hours before US President Barack Obama is due to give his final State of the Union address before Congress. This is not the first time Iran has detained Western navy sailors operating in or near Iranian waters. In 2004, 15 British Royal Navy personnel from a training team based in southern Iraq were detained while delivering a boat from Umm Qsar to Basra, then The Telegraph reported.
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