US Navy ship fire kills one Indian fisherman, injures three in UAE waters

Jul 17, 11:20 am

Washington, July 17 (ANI): A U.S. Navy ship fired on a small boat in the Persian Gulf, killing at least one Indian fisherman, and injuring three others.

The USNS Rappahannock fired a .50-caliber machine gun on the small fishing boat in the waters off the United Arab Emirates on Monday.

The smaller vessel was a fishing boat, an Emirati diplomat said in a statement. One Indian fisherman was killed and three Indian nationals were critically injured, said U.A.E. deputy foreign affairs minister Tareq Al Haidan.

According to a UAE diplomat, the shooting occurred close to the entrance of the port of Jebel Ali, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The diplomat added that Emirati authorities are investigating the matter.

According to the paper, U.S. officials defended the actions of the Rappahannock, saying the small vessel ignored a series of nonlethal warnings.

"The safety of our vessels and our personnel is our utmost priority. Our ships have an inherent right of self-defense against potential threats," the paper quoted Lt. Greg Raelson, a spokesman for the Navy's Fifth Fleet, as saying.

"In this situation you had a small motor vessel that was deliberately approaching and did not respond to any warnings," he added. (ANI)

UAE, waters, US, Indian, fisherman, small boat

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