US and Royal Navy personnel responded to a distress call, on June 4th, from a cargo vessel traversing the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian fast-attack vessels harassed the ship.
According to international news, the vessel sent a radio distress call at 4:56 p.m. local time. While navigating the narrow strait, three fast-attack craft manned by armed men came and closely trailed the vessel. The fast-attacking craft were identified as belonging to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard rejects US Navy claim that a merchant ship was being ‘harassed’ by its boats. U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) and UK Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster (F 229) both received the distress call, and Lancaster launched a helicopter to provide surveillance. U.S. 5th Fleet also directed a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the scene.
United States and United Kingdom Royal Navy forces responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, June 4, as Iranian fast-attack boats harassed the commercial ship.
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— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) June 4, 2023
The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene. The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident.
