U.S. firing was a mistake, says UAE official

A day after a U.S warship fired on a fishing boat, killing an Indian and injuring three more, a top official of the United Arab Emirates appeared to be contradicting the American version that the smaller vessel was off course and approached the navy ship in a dangerous way.

“The primary investigation confirms that the boat was in its right course and did not pose any danger. The shooting was clearly a mistake,” Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai’s influential police chief, was quoted as saying by the UAE daily The National.

The U.S. Navy has said that it was forced to open fire as a last resort, after the fishing boat failed to heed an entire protocol of warnings.

Well, it is a mistake, especially when an innocent fisherman dies.
But hey, he's just another number.

LINK

Tough call for everyone (US and UAE) since its a global hotspot at the moment. Unfortunately he will be just another number (since countless innocent lives are lost even within India) though I'm sure there will be compensation made to the family (hopefully doesn't get gobbled up by half the local government officials before it reaches the poor fisherman's family).

If I understand it correctly, the UAE is saying one thing, the US is saying another, and both are going to undertake full investigations. It seems like there is nothing to choose between the two sides at this point. I'm curious, how many posters will decide that this is proof that the US is warmongering, cruel, and trigger-happy?

Please be careful of your conclusions.

reply to post by charles1952
You know it Majority of them would jump the gun based on their judgements

Yes exactly like i suspected

i saw a reporter on Aljazeera from New Delhi
claiming that she have spoken to a indian friend of the victim
and he say that the US intercepted the boat and opened fire without any warning

US will of course protect their military soldier and will deny everything

reply to post by Ben81

Yes exactly like i suspected

i saw a reporter on Aljazeera from New Delhi
claiming that she have spoken to a indian friend of the victim
and he say that the US intercepted the boat and opened fire without any warning

US will of course protect their military soldier and will deny everything

The evidence is an Al Jazeera reporter repeating a story he heard from a friend of the victim who was nowhere near the scene describing what happened? I'm sorry, but even by ATS standards that is just not to be taken seriously.

That was exactly like you suspected? When you first heard the story you assumed that the Navy had gone out of their way to shoot a boat they knew was innocent, without warning? Forgive me, but it sounds as though your mind was made up before you had any facts at all. Indeed, the only evidence at the time was the Navy story which pointed the other way.

You see, that's what I meant in my earlier post.

reply to post by samsamm9


I was not aware the UAE was the offical spokespersons for the US Navy? Especially when the US navy says its still investigating the incident. Hopefully they recorded the ship to ship communications.

USNS Rappahannock Fires After Vessel Ignores Warnings
By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs - U.S. FIFTH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS

An embarked security team aboard a U.S. Navy vessel fired upon a small motor vessel after it disregarded warnings and rapidly approached the U.S. ship near Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates today.

In accordance with Navy force protection procedures, the sailors on the USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204) used a series of non-lethal, preplanned responses to warn the vessel before resorting to lethal force.

The U.S. crew repeatedly attempted to warn the vessel’s operators to turn away from their deliberate approach. When those efforts failed to deter the approaching vessel, the security team on the Rappahannock fired rounds from a .50-caliber machine gun.

The incident is under investigation.

Pretty sure USN will have video. If not they are just lying.

a heightened state of alertness can easily become 'trigger happy'. too bad for the dead guy.
world so jumpy... all armies on a knife edge... recipe for disaster.

Originally posted by RoScoLaz
too bad for the dead guy.

That made me laugh.