A Royal Navy review of maritime safety protocols has been ordered after a US airstrike killed an Indian sailor who had texted his family ‘I will come home safely’ hours before the attack. Sources confirm the sailor, a father of two, was aboard a merchant vessel that strayed into a restricted zone in the Red Sea. The Ministry of Defence has refused to comment on whether the UK had been warned of the impending US operation.
Internal documents seen by this desk suggest the attack was conducted without co-ordination with allied naval forces. The sailor’s final message was sent at 3:42 AM local time. Four hours later, a US drone destroyed the ship.
The maritime review, ordered by the Secretary of State for Transport, will examine protocols for civilian vessels travelling near conflict zones. A whistleblower within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency told this reporter that ‘there have been multiple near-misses in recent months that have been swept under the rug.’ The Indian government has demanded a full investigation.
The US has not yet commented on the incident.
