US Navy to punish sailors who entered Iranian waters: Report
The American sailors who illegally entered Iranian territorial waters in January are likely to face punishment by the US Navy, a new report suggests.
On January 12, two US Navy crafts carrying 10 Marines were seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy after reaching three miles into the waters surrounding the Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf.
Now, the findings of a five-month investigation into the incident have prompted American naval commanders to consider a range of punishments for the trespassing sailors, the Foreign Policy reported Wednesday, citing US Navy officials.
The case gained extra significance after it was revealed that six of the nine officers in the crosshairs are officers, far higher-ranking than ordinary personnel.
According to the report, one of the officers called Captain Kyle Moses oversees a Middle East task force comprised of over 1,000 personnel.
“The investigation is complete and is being referred to the appropriate commands for adjudication,” Navy spokesman Commander Mike Kafka told FP.
According to American officials, the investigation found that the mission suffered from frequent communication failures, while the officers lacked maintenance skills and had inadequate training.
Missteps on part of the boat crews, and a lack of rigorous oversight by commanding officers also plagued the mission, the officials added.
The operation center also failed to notify the sailors that they were heading towards Iranian waters.
The punishment comes after the American team’s executive officer, Commander Eric Rasch, was fired in May.
Back then, the Navy said it has lost confidence in Rasch, blaming him for ‘complacency’ and failure to maintain standards in the 10-member unit.
The capture of American sailors by the IRGC ruffled feathers in Washington, with some senior Republicans slamming the US administration after President Barack Obama did not mention the incident in his annual state of the union address to the US Congress back in January.
Senator John McCain, chairman of the senate committee on armed services, had threatened to subpoena the sailors if the White House and the Pentagon failed to take necessary measures.
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