Posted on 01/19/2016 11:56:43 AM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
Document: U.S. CENTCOM Statement on Events Surrounding Iranian Detainment of 10 U.S. Navy Sailors
January 18, 2016 1:57 PM
The following preliminary timeline of the events surrounding the Iranian detainment of 10 U.S. Navy Sailors from January 12-13, 2016, is based upon multiple operational reports received by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in the first 24-48 hours after the incident. A Navy command investigation initiated on Jan. 14, will provide a more complete accounting of events.
On Jan. 12, two NAVCENT Riverine Command Boat (RCB) crews were tasked with the mission of relocating two RCBs from Kuwait to Bahrain, with a planned refueling en route alongside the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy. The two RCBs were traveling together since they train and deploy in two-boat elements. They departed Kuwait at 9:23 a.m. (GMT). The planned transit path for the mission was down the middle of the Gulf and not through the territorial waters of any country other than Kuwait and Bahrain.
The two RCBs were scheduled to conduct an underway refueling with the USCGC Monomoy in international waters at approximately 2 p.m. (GMT). At approximately 2:10 p.m. (GMT) NAVCENT received a report that the RCBs were being queried by Iranians. At approximately 2:29 p.m. (GMT) NAVCENT was advised of degraded communications with the RCBs. At 2:45 p.m. (GMT) NAVCENT was notified of a total loss of communications with the RCBs. Immediately, NAVCENT initiated an intensive search and rescue operation using both air and naval assets including aircraft from USS Harry S. Truman and the U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard, U.K. Royal Navy and U.S. Navy surface vessels. At the time of the incident, two carrier strike groups were operating nearby. USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group was 45 miles southeast of Farsi Island and Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group was 40 miles north of Farsi Island. NAVCENT attempted to contact Iranian military units operating near Farsi Island by broadcasting information regarding their search and rescue effort over marine radio, and separately notified Iranian coast guard units via telephone about the search for their personnel. At6:15 p.m. (GMT), U.S. Navy cruiser USS Anzio received a communication from the Iranians that the RCB Sailors were in Iranian custody and were “safe and healthy.â€
NAVCENT’s initial operational reports showed that while in transit from Kuwait to Bahrain the RCBs deviated from their planned course on their way to the refueling. The command investigation will determine what caused the change in course and why the RCBs entered into Iranian territorial waters in the vicinity of Farsi Island.
At some point one RCB had indications of a mechanical issue in a diesel engine which caused the crews to stop the RCBs and begin troubleshooting. As the RCBs travel together, the second RCB also stopped. This stop occurred in Iranian territorial waters, although it’s not clear the crew was aware of their exact location. While the RCBs were stopped and the crew was attempting to evaluate the mechanical issue, Iranian boats approached the vessels.
Based upon initial operational reports, the first boats on scene were two small craft with armed personnel on board. Soon after, two more Iranian military vessels arrived on scene also with armed personnel on board.
Initial operational reports indicate there was a verbal exchange between the Sailors and the Iranians but no exchange of gun fire. Armed Iranian military personnel then boarded the RCBs, while other Iranian personnel aboard the Iranian vessels conducted armed over-watch of the boats with mounted machine guns. At gunpoint, the RCBs were escorted to a small port facility on Farsi Island where the U.S. Sailors disembarked and were detained for approximately 15 hours. At this point there are no indications that the Sailors were physically harmed during their detainment. The Navy command investigation will focus on the Sailors’ treatment while in Iranian custody, including any interrogation by Iranian personnel. All indications are that the RCB crews were detained by Iranian military personnel operating from Farsi Island.
The Sailors departed Farsi Island at 8:43 a.m. (GMT) Jan. 13, aboard the two RCBs. The Sailors were later transferred ashore by U.S. Navy aircraft from the cruiser USS Anzio and the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. Other Sailors took charge of the RCBs and continued transiting toward Bahrain, the boats’ original destination. The RCBs arrived in Bahrain at 10:38 p.m. (GMT) Jan. 13.
A post-recovery inventory of the boats found that all weapons, ammunition and communication gear are accounted for minus two SIM cards that appear to have been removed from two handheld satellite phones.
The Sailors are in good health and continue to go through the reintegration process. The Navy command investigation continues and more details will be provided when it is completed.
Here’s the blackmail item...2 sim cards removed from satellite data collectors
Immediately, NAVCENT initiated an intensive search and rescue operation using both air and naval assets including aircraft from USS Harry S. Truman and the U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard, U.K. Royal Navy and U.S. Navy surface vessels.
—>>All that force - within minutes of last know position. And they couldn’t find them?
NAVCENT’s initial operational reports showed that while in transit from Kuwait to Bahrain the RCBs deviated from their planned course on their way to the refueling. The command investigation will determine what caused the change in course and why the RCBs entered into Iranian territorial waters in the vicinity of Farsi Island.
—>> No GPS? No compass? All failed on TWO boats? How about just head WEST as FAST as possible?
At some point one RCB had indications of a mechanical issue in a diesel engine which caused the crews to stop the RCBs and begin troubleshooting. As the RCBs travel together, the second RCB also stopped. This stop occurred in Iranian territorial waters, although it’s not clear the crew was aware of their exact location. While the RCBs were stopped and the crew was attempting to evaluate the mechanical issue, Iranian boats approached the vessels.
—>> TWO BOATS. One will tow the other. Now let’s get out of here.
Based upon initial operational reports, the first boats on scene were two small craft with armed personnel on board. Soon after, two more Iranian military vessels arrived on scene also with armed personnel on board.
—>> We have guns too. They mean “stay the f*ck away”
Initial operational reports indicate there was a verbal exchange between the Sailors and the Iranians but no exchange of gun fire. Armed Iranian military personnel then boarded the RCBs, while other Iranian personnel aboard the Iranian vessels conducted armed over-watch of the boats with mounted machine guns.
—>> Our guys just surrendered without a fight? Against the US Military Code of Conduct? They all surrendered? No one relieved the officer the charge for being a coward? Are these folks now going to a court-martial?
To me, the most important detail is that the first communication the Navy received from those boats was at 1400, stating that they were being questioned by Iranians.
There apparently was no report of a mechanical problem prior to that message, and the alleged mechanical problem occurred in Iranian waters.
I think the Lt. commanding those boats is in a world of fecal matter.
This whole thing stinks
The first report was at 1410. At 1429, CENTCOM was notified by the Navy that communications were "degraded." That probably means the Navy was unable to reach them. At 1445, CENTCOM is told that all communication was lost. The way I read that, it took 16 minutes for the Navy to conclude that the temporary inability to reach the boats was not simply a temporary communications issue. The "immediately" is in reference to the 1445 message, not the initial call at 1410.
So, it was 25 minutes from the time the boats were first stopped until the time the search started.
More to the point, the boats were in Iranian waters at 1410, and the Navy would not deliberately have entered Iranian waters as part of an initial search. That's why they didn't find them.
I don’t believe them. I knew I would not believe them before they released a statement.
The only thing I do believe is that the Iranians kept the Sim cards.
QUERIED by the Iranians, shucks, that sounds SO much better than INTERROGATED, right..?
IN THE CUSTODY OF, whew..! So much better than KIDNAPPED...!
Yeah, I was worried for a minute, there..!
I’m a patriot, but seriously WHY would you permit any relative or friend to be in THIS military..?
They send you out there and then ABANDON you.
It has become nothing more than a MEAL TICKET for the cynical.
How is it that the sailors were unaware that they needed to destroy all equipment?
Fyi
5.56mm
5.56mm
I personally don’t think anyone sent them out to enter Iranian waters. I think it was a very embarrassing screw-up by the OIC/crews. The Administration shouldn’t have been kidding butts to get them back, but they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
Uh, that’s “kissing” butts.
Come on, the SIM card seizure only makes sense if it had GPS data that would have shown they’d been commandeered in friendly waters.
That, or it contained photos showing the way they’d been commandeered.
" Larry McAneny • 7 hours agoThe boats deviated on their way to the refueling? Not afterward? Does that mean that the refueling took place in Iranian waters? They seem to have caught Iranian attention only ten minutes after refueling, thus with the larger Coast Guard vessel close by? I don't understand why that vessel was not involved.
No doubt in my mind, that poor LT. will be absolutely ruined, just Like General Patreas......heard over Fox News this morning, the obama administration and/or pentagon wants to demote General Patreas retro-actively......isn’t that nice. And Hillary gets away with everything. However General Patreas should not have had anything to do with obama administration after he retired. Talk about sleeping with the enemy.
No doubt in my mind, that poor LT. will be absolutely ruined, just Like General Patreas......heard over Fox News this morning, the obama administration and/or pentagon wants to demote General Patreas retro-actively......isn’t that nice. And Hillary gets away with everything. However General Patreas should not have had anything to do with obama administration after he retired. Talk about sleeping with the enemy.
CENTCOM acknowledged that the boats were in Iranian waters. Why would they do that if that was false? Honestly, I don't even understand what the possible conspiracy theory even is -- there's no logical motivation.
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