A British yacht sailing in the English Channel was fired at by a nearby Russian frigate on Tuesday morning, sparking a diplomatic incident and a Royal Navy response.
Incident Details
The incident occurred at around 11:40 am on Tuesday in waters between the Isle of Wight and Normandy, according to the Press Association. The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich is believed to have fired warning shots at a UK-registered civilian yacht at a distance of approximately 500 yards.
The shots were allegedly fired about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, which is outside UK territorial waters. Those on board the British yacht contacted French authorities to report the incident.
Response from Authorities
British and French ships are reportedly mobilising in response to the incident. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said: "We are investigating reports of an incident in the Channel."
The MoD confirmed that no injuries or damage have been reported by the yacht, which is understood to be continuing its journey. The Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey was monitoring the Russian frigate at the time of the incident.
Broader Context
Russian warships passing through the English Channel are routinely shadowed by the Royal Navy. On Tuesday, offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey was monitoring the Admiral Grigorovich. Additionally, a seaboat from HMS Tyne, another patrol vessel, was sent to the yacht to gather details and check on the safety of the crew.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between the UK and Russia. In a separate operation on Sunday, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker MV Smyrtos in the channel. However, the MoD is not treating this latest incident as linked to the interception of the MV Smyrtos.
