Share to ClassroomRussian Warship Fires Shots Near Yacht
A retired British couple were caught in an international incident on Tuesday morning. A Russian warship fired warning shots near their yacht. Jane and Alan Kelvey are both about seventy years old. They were sailing from England to France. About 20 nautical miles off the Isle of Wight, they met a large Russian frigate. The warship sounded its horn, and then the couple heard four or five sharp shots. Mrs Kelvey crouched down while her husband steered away.
The two sides tell very different stories. The Kelveys say they had right of way — the right to go first — because they were using their sails, not the engine. They say their radio was on and there was no danger of a crash. But Russia says the yacht was using its engine and moving straight at the warship. Russia says the yacht ignored radio calls and warning lights, so the crew fired across the front of the boat.
The story quickly became big news in Britain because the couple stayed so calm. They called the coastguard and were checked by a Royal Navy ship. Then they sailed on to Cherbourg and had a drink. "We don't want world war three," Mrs Kelvey said. Britain first called it a small "nautical incident". But Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Russia's action "reckless".
