Posted on 07/28/2019 1:22:10 PM PDT by BenLurkin
HMS Duncan has joined frigate HMS Montrose to escort vessels sailing under the British flag through the Strait of Hormuz.
HMS Montrose has so far accompanied 35 vessels through the strait, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK continued to push for a diplomatic resolution to the situation.
He said: "Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is vital not just to the UK, but also our international partners and allies.
"Merchant ships must be free to travel lawfully and trade safely, anywhere in the world."
Mr Wallace added the Royal Navy will continue to provide a safeguard for UK vessels "until this is the reality".
HMS Duncan is a Type 45 Destroyer which the Royal Navy describes as "among the most advanced warships ever built".
On 19 July, British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in the key shipping route.
Tehran said the Stena Impero was "violating international maritime rules".
HMS Montrose was alerted but it was too far away to stop the seizure.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the tanker was captured after it collided with a fishing boat and failed to respond to calls from the smaller craft.
But the then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was seized in Omani waters in "clear contravention of international law" and then forced to sail into Iran.
The tanker's Swedish owners, Stena Bulk, said it had been complying with regulations and had been in international waters.
Stena Bulk said the 23 crew members, who are Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino, are in good health and have met with officials from their respective countries.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
This won’t stop the pirates, unless Boris told his Navy commanders to grow some ball$!!!
I bet Boris will throw down the gauntlet to UK military.. telling them, fail at your own peril.
Well well, the Brits have recovered their manhood.
Ok sailors, is she leaving or entering port?
Hope like hell the Brits’ latest fixes to the Type 45’s problematic Rolls Royce powerplants (overheating and shut down in warm-weather operations) work, otherwise that thing is going to be going dead in the water on a regular basis. That might result in the unfortunate demise of many a British sailor.
RRR.
The Iranian coast needs to become a Boat Free Zone.
RRR is the clue for all you sailors.
Joe Biden called her just the other day.
Man has that guy got a cellphone or what.
Yep...........
You still have to deal with the dug in anti-ship missile batteries.
Been curious if the ships there are getting painted by the targeting radar for those missiles?
A sad state of affairs that the greatest navy to every sail the seas can only deploy two fighting ships and hope for the best against a threat with a few swift boats and some helicopters.
He just wants to sniff her hair.
The batteries must be finite, even if some are mobile.
There’s apparently only one well in Qom to spike...
Apparently that is not true worldwide.
Apparently the once-great British navy was off to tea and couldn’t be bothered when one of their tankers was coopted. But now they are on station ready to issue a stern letter to anyone who tries it again.
Any warship with a large Dalek mounted above her bridge means serious business.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.