US Navy prevents Iran from seizing unmanned vessel in Arabian Gulf

Agencies | London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The US Navy has prevented an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy support ship from capturing an unmanned surface vessel operated by the US 5th Fleet in the Arabian Gulf.

The US 5th Fleet observed IRGCN support ship Shahid Baziar towing a Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel in an attempt to detain it at 11 p.m. local time on Monday.

US Navy patrol coastal ship USS Thunderbolt (PC 12) was operating nearby and responded to the attempted attack. The US 5th Fleet also launched an MH60S Sea Hawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26 which is based in Bahrain.

The actions taken by US naval forces resulted in the IRGCN vessel disconnecting the towing line to the unmanned vessel and departing the area around four hours later, the US 5th Fleet said.

“IRGCN’s actions were flagrant, unwarranted and inconsistent with the behavior of a professional maritime force,” said the commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, US 5th Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces Vice Adm. Brad Cooper.