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Play Brightcove video<\/p>\nPlay Brightcove video<\/p>\n
The incident comes as tension rises in the Channel after the UK seized a Russian-linked oil tanker at the weekend, as ITV News’ Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen, Correspondent Geraint Vincent and Political Editor Robert Peston explain<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said it was \u201creckless\u201d for a Russian warship to fire warning shots near a yacht in the English Channel, but stressed that there was no sign it was anything \u201cmore sinister\u201d than a drifting vessel. <\/p>\n
The shots were fired near a UK-registered yacht in the English Channel to “prevent a possible collision”, the Ministry of Defence said. <\/p>\n
The incident, which occurred around 11.40am on Tuesday, involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich in the sea between the Isle of White and Normandy.<\/p>\n
Jane Kelvey, 68, and her husband Alan, 70, were on their 40ft yacht, Bright Future, travelling from the south coast of England towards France when shots were fired several times.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a bit scary,\u201d Mrs Kelvey told The i Paper. \u201cI crouched down. I didn\u2019t think our safety was in danger. But it was certainly unusual. As we sailed away, we said to each other, what the hell just happened?\u201d The Russian defence ministry said the yacht had been on a \u201cdangerous approach\u201d and the warning shots were fired after attempting to draw the attention of the yacht\u2019s crew through signal flares and sound signals.<\/p>\n
It said the Russian sailors had acted \u201cin strict accordance\u201d with international shipping regulations.<\/p>\n
Jane Kelvey, 68, who was on the yacht with her husband Alan, 70, insisted they were not on a collision course, and Mr Kelvey described the Russian statement as \u201cjust normal lies\u201d.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, a former Royal Navy weapons engineer officer reacts to the couple’s comments, which were aired on BBC’s Newsnight<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Defence said the Russian vessel fired warning shots after making attempts to contact the yacht, which was about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside the UK\u2019s territorial waters.An MoD spokesperson said: \u201cThese (shots) were not aimed at the vessel and were an attempt to prevent a possible collision.\u201d<\/p>\n
The warship had been drifting rather than being manoeuvred under power, it is understood.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing attempts to contact a British vessel in the channel, the Grigorovich fired warning shots,” an MoD spokesperson said. <\/p>\n
“These were not aimed at the vessel and were an attempt to prevent a possible collision.<\/p>\n