British couple slam Russia after warship fires warning shots near yacht in English Channel
UK on Sunday had intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel Couple says they were not on collision course Horn blasts followed by gunfire Russia and
UK on Sunday had intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel Couple says they were not on collision course Horn blasts followed by gunfire Russia and UK offer conflicting versions Couple criticise official response Starmer calls incident 'reckless' A retired British couple caught in a tense encounter with a Russian warship in the English Channel have strongly dismissed claims that they endangered the vessel, insisting they "followed all the rules" before warning shots were fired nearby.Jane Kelvey, 68, and her husband Alan, 70, were sailing aboard their 40-foot yacht Bright Future from southern England to France on Tuesday when the incident unfolded around 23 miles off the Isle of Wight.The Russian Defence Ministry claimed the yacht had made a "dangerous approach" towards the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, forcing sailors to fire warning shots after allegedly using radio calls, signal flares, and sound signals to alert the crew.However, the Kelveys have rejected the account outright.
"We absolutely weren't the guilty party," Jane Kelvey told broadcasters, insisting the yacht was never on a collision course with the Russian vessel.She said the couple regularly encounter naval ships while sailing and would normally expect exclusion zones or navigational instructions to be communicated over radio. "There was absolutely nothing heard on our radio," she said.Recalling the incident, Kelvey said the warship first sounded five blasts on its horn — a maritime signal asking whether another vessel has been seen.The couple responded by altering course slightly to indicate they had noticed the frigate. But moments later, further horn blasts were followed by several rounds of small-arms fire.Kelvey said the shots appeared to be warning fire directed into the air rather than at the yacht. Following the gunfire, the couple switched on their
engine and quickly altered course to move away from the area.Russia maintains its crew acted "in strict accordance with international shipping regulations" and says warning shots were fired only after repeated attempts to contact the yacht failed.The British couple dispute that version, saying they received no radio communication and saw no warning flares before the shots were fired.The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) acknowledged the incident, stating that the warning shots were "not aimed at the vessel" and were intended to prevent a possible collision.Officials believe the Russian frigate was drifting rather than manoeuvring under power at the time.Despite official assurances, the Kelveys remain frustrated by suggestions they were responsible for the confrontation.According to the BBC, Jane Kelvey described the gunfire as "completely unnecessary" and said she reported the incident as a
The BriefWire