U.S. offers condolences to India over Navy shooting
Source: Los Angeles Times
U.S. offers condolences to India over Navy shooting
July 17, 2012 | 7:24 am
NEW DELHI -- The U.S. Embassy in India expressed condolences Tuesday after an American naval vessel in the Persian Gulf opened fire on a small fishing vessel, killing an Indian and wounding three others. India has called on the United Arab Emirates, in whose waters the shooting took place, to investigate.
In a statement, the embassy said the U.S. was launching its own investigation, but suggested the use of force was justified given that the small motorized vessel was approaching the Rappahannock supply ship at a rapid pace and failed to heed several warnings to turn away.
Lt. Greg Raelson, a public affairs official with the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said he couldnt say whether the warnings were in English, Arabic or another language. But he said the Rappahannock's crew issued a series of non-lethal warnings as part of routine efforts to protect themselves. He declined to predict how long an investigation might take.
The U.S. Navy has been wary of small boats getting too close to warships since the October 2000 suicide attack against the destroyer Cole in Yemen that killed 17 sailors and injured 39.
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