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US Ship Fires on Boat off Dubai, 1 Dead

This is not an isolated situation. These fishermen should have taken better care to prepare themselves and communicate with the US ship as well. These waters are known with be hostile and dangerous. They too, could have communicated by flashing lights, stopping their boat, radio etc etc etc.

According to one of the survivors they were warned as well...."Sarvana (one of the Indian fishermen aboard the boat) said the fishermen were headed in the same direction as the U.S. naval vessel, which they saw, but veered off in a different direction to deal with an engine problem. The U.S. ship flashed some lights at them, he said, but given the bright sunlight the fishermen were unsure what the signals meant. Then the ship fired on them. Indian fishermen have found themselves in the cross-fire of anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations lately. This week's incident follows one in February in which two Indian fishermen were shot dead off the coast of India by an Italian cargo vessel that mistook them for pirates, creating diplomatic tensions between the two nations."

U.S. offers condolences to India after fatal ship shooting - latimes.com
 
Moral of the story: Governments should educate the fishermen before giving them license for fishing in the most dangerous waters of the world!

Sailors have every reason to educate themselves about the rules of the area they are going to sail in. The government should not be responsible for this your paternalistic approach to seafaring.
 
The fishermen claimed that they had no warning from the refueling ship including warning signs and sound but the Rappahannock fired on the “small motor vessel” after the latter “disregarded non-lethal warnings and rapidly approached the US ship”. It's likely that the gunners on the US ship fired warning shots towards the small vessel but it kept going without slowing down and it's the fishermen's fault to approach the Rappahannock in a menacing manner and the gunners just followed instructions to deal with the situation and it could have been a repeat of the USS Cole bombing and security was understandably tight around the US ship.
 
Sailors have every reason to educate themselves about the rules of the area they are going to sail in. The government should not be responsible for this your paternalistic approach to seafaring.


I agree. :)

But sadly in this case, perhaps a little bit of "paternalistic government warning" would have saved a life?:shrug:

One only hopes this will make the fishermen in those troubled waters more cautious in the future.
 
Your suppositions Vs a victim who was there....

"We had no warning at all from the ship, we were speeding up to try and go around them and then suddenly we got fired at," 28-year-old Muthu Muniraj told Reuters from hospital, his legs punctured by the rounds of the U.S. craft's .50-caliber gun.
"We know warning signs and sounds and there were none; it was very sudden. My friend was killed, he's gone. I don't understand what happened."


Read more: Indian Fishers Say They Had No Warning Before The US Navy Fired On Them - Business Insider
 
Your suppositions Vs a victim who was there....

"We had no warning at all from the ship, we were speeding up to try and go around them and then suddenly we got fired at," 28-year-old Muthu Muniraj told Reuters from hospital, his legs punctured by the rounds of the U.S. craft's .50-caliber gun.
"We know warning signs and sounds and there were none; it was very sudden. My friend was killed, he's gone. I don't understand what happened."


Read more: Indian Fishers Say They Had No Warning Before The US Navy Fired On Them - Business Insider

And if they were "testing the US" or just even doing something they knew they shouldn't have been doing, which they knew they shouldn't have been doing, why would they not lie and claim they weren't warned?

Another report says that one of those fisherman admits to seeing some signals coming from the US ship but they didn't know what they were.
 
But sadly in this case, perhaps a little bit of "paternalistic government warning" would have saved a life?:shrug:

Hardly, at least one sailor confirms that the US ship communicated with them by lights. The fishermen could have responded. There is no governmental intervention that could have provided a quicker or more effective return communication from the fisherman's vessel.
 
On it's face it seems as if this was a legal maneuver by the US ship.

"U.S. officials said the incident was under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Dubai police. But as details emerged, it appeared the fishing boat had been heading into port and had strayed too close to a Navy ship on high alert, rather than attempting an attack.

The incident highlighted the rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran over the narrow strait, a choke point for much of the world's oil shipments from the Middle East. Navy vessels are on special alert for small craft, which Iran has used to shadow and sometimes harass ships in the gulf, and have permission to use lethal force to halt boats that draw too close."



U.S. ship fires on fishing boat in Persian Gulf, killing 1 - latimes.com

All I have to say is, "Remember the USS Cole". Can't blame my boys in Blue for firing off a few rounds from that .50 cal. on the Iranian fishing boat. Why take a chance and give potential terrorist a chance to duplicate that cowardly deed? I say if Iranian sailing vessels large and small don't heed the warning in English or Arabic to steer clear of U.S. warship operating in the Straits fo Hormuz or the Arabian Gulf, then they'd better prepare to eat lead!

Sidenote: They better be glad the U.S. refueling ship didn't have a Sea Whiz mounted onboard. Otherwise, they would've made Swizz Cheese out of it.

EDIT: Guess I should have read the article alittle more closely. Turns out it was an Indian fishing boat, not Iranian. Still, per the article the USNS Rappahannock issued a series of warnings to the fishing vessel to remain clear of the ship. I guess all small vessels had better check with the local Harbor Master before heading out into the Gulf. Having served in the Navy onbaord the USS New Orleans and USS America (both decommissioned), I know it can be extremely difficult for large ships to manuever in cluttered waterways especially when you have so many small fishing boats and private vessels (yatches) sailing around. Still, if you don't heed the warnings that include an assortment of communications methods, i.e., ship-to-ship radio, ship-to-shore communications, flashing light, flag signals, PA announcements and even a series of blasts from the ship's whistle, then those ships deserve what they get. Contrary to what you may hear about this incident, our boys in Blue in both our active duty Naval fleet, as well as our Merchant Marine and Coast Guard, all adhere to the same maritime protocals. It's really incumbant on the smallers ships to move out of the way of larger vessels.
 
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Straight out...the U.S navy is extremely dangerous. If I decided to play with a Cobra, and got bit...I deserve to die.

Again...Ignorant, stupid, or up to no good.
 
All I have to say is, "Remember the USS Cole". Can't blame my boys in Blue for firing off a few rounds from that .50 cal. on the Iranian fishing boat. Why take a chance and give potential terrorist a chance to duplicate that cowardly deed? I say if Iranian sailing vessels large and small don't heed the warning in English or Arabic to steer clear of U.S. warship operating in the Straits fo Hormuz or the Arabian Gulf, then they'd better prepare to eat lead!

Sidenote: They better be glad the U.S. refueling ship didn't have a Sea Whiz mounted onboard. Otherwise, they would've made Swizz Cheese out of it.

EDIT: Guess I should have read the article alittle more closely. Turns out it was an Indian fishing boat, not Iranian. Still, per the article the USNS Rappahannock issued a series of warnings to the fishing vessel to remain clear of the ship. I guess all small vessels had better check with the local Harbor Master before heading out into the Gulf. Having served in the Navy onbaord the USS New Orleans and USS America (both decommissioned), I know it can be extremely difficult for large ships to manuever in cluttered waterways especially when you have so many small fishing boats and private vessels (yatches) sailing around. Still, if you don't heed the warnings that include an assortment of communications methods, i.e., ship-to-ship radio, ship-to-shore communications, flashing light, flag signals, PA announcements and even a series of blasts from the ship's whistle, then those ships deserve what they get. Contrary to what you may hear about this incident, our boys in Blue in both our active duty Naval fleet, as well as our Merchant Marine and Coast Guard, all adhere to the same maritime protocals. It's really incumbant on the smallers ships to move out of the way of larger vessels.

I would have done the same what is your point?
 
Straight out...the U.S navy is extremely dangerous. If I decided to play with a Cobra, and got bit...I deserve to die.

Again...Ignorant, stupid, or up to no good.


And the fishermen?
 
Anyone navigating a boat of any size MUST understand internationally recognized signals, or they have no business operating a vessel in a crowded waterway.

In fact, all marine navigational lights must comply with rigid international standards and be fixed by approved personnel. It is important to understand that international conventions cover all vessel’s everywhere in the world, from the smallest boat (which can carry a torch) to the largest oceangoing behemoth.
[...]
Amongst other things, the COLREGS lay out strict guidelines for which ship must alter her course or speed (the give way vessel) and which ship must maintain her course and speed (the stand on vessel), when a risk of collision exists. The determination of whether a vessel is a stand-on or give way vessel is dependant on her size, nature, angles as determined by her navigation lights and other factors as well as any special occupational characteristics (fishing, towing etc).

A good knowledge of Navigational lights is thus essential for a mariner to sail safely through the oceans.
Why marine navigation lights are of vital importance on ships

(d) When vessels in sight of one another are approaching each other and from any cause either vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of the other, or is in doubt whether sufficient action is being taken by the other to avoid collision, the vessel in doubt shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle. Such signal may be supplemented by a light signal of at least five short and rapid flashes.
Rule 34 - Manoeuvring and warning signals - OTEN Maritime Studies - Maritime Training for GPH, Coxswain, Master, Deck Watchkeeper and Marine Engine Driver (MED) qualifications

So anyone who sees internationally recognized signals and doesn't know what they mean is...

...ignorant, stupid, or up to no good.
 
Anyone navigating a boat of any size MUST understand internationally recognized signals, or they have no business operating a vessel in a crowded waterway.


Why marine navigation lights are of vital importance on ships


Rule 34 - Manoeuvring and warning signals - OTEN Maritime Studies - Maritime Training for GPH, Coxswain, Master, Deck Watchkeeper and Marine Engine Driver (MED) qualifications

So anyone who sees internationally recognized signals and doesn't know what they mean is...

...ignorant, stupid, or up to no good.

Speaking of which, the US has a reputation for mowing down the local population at the slightest provocation, real or imagined. At least it wasn't a whole airliner this time.
 
Speaking of which, the US has a reputation for mowing down the local population at the slightest provocation, real or imagined. At least it wasn't a whole airliner this time.

Is this the explanation of why the boat crew did not understand internationally recognized signals?
 
Navy ships have a certain area around them that they simply will not let other ships or aircraft enter. Numerous attempts will be made to get the other craft to move away, but if they do not, the ship's captain's primary responsibility is to his sailors and his ship.

The captain and crew did their jobs right, and I'm proud they did.
 
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