US Navy Fires on Fishing Boat Off UAE Coast

An Indian fisherman was killed and three people were wounded when a US navy ship fired at their boat off Dubai in the southern Gulf, a United Arab Emirates official said.
"The firing has led to the death of one Indian national and serious injury of three Indian nationals," Tarek al-Hedan, an
aide to the foreign minister for political affairs told the official WAM news agency on Monday.

"The services concerned are now investigating this incident," he said.

Lieutenant Greg Raelson, a spokesman for the US navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said that sailors aboard the USNS Rappahannock opened fire on the boat after it ignored warnings.

"US ships have an inherent right to self defence against potential threats... The safety of our vessels and our personnel is of the utmost priority," he told Al Jazeera in an email response to a query.

The shooting took place at around 2pm local time (10:00GMT) some 16km from the coast, the US navy said.

The Rappahannock - with a crew of 81 civilians and three military officers - was headed into the UAE port of Jebel Ali when the small motor boat came within 8km of it, the navy said.

Navy officials told Al Jazeera the crew first tried to hail the vessel via radio and on loudspeaker, as well as by flashing lights and firing warning shots. They then shot at the boat with a 50 calibre weapon.

Culled from ALJAZEERA