Iran briefly seizes 2 US Navy sea drones in Red Sea amid tensions – By Jon Gambrell (The Associated Press) / Sept 2, 2022
[Editor’s note: This story was updated late Friday afternoon to include a statement from the U.S. Navy.]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s navy seized two American sea drones in the Red Sea before letting them go Friday after U.S. destroyers and helicopters responded, officials said. It was the second such maritime incident in less than a week involving the Navy’s new drone fleet in the Mideast.
Iranian state television aired footage it said came from the deck of the Iranian navy’s Jamaran destroyer, where lifejacket-wearing sailors examined two Saildrone Explorers. They tossed one overboard as a U.S. warship could be seen in the distance.
State TV said the Iranian navy found “several unmanned spying vessels abandoned in the international maritime routes” Thursday.
“After two warnings to an American destroyer to prevent possible incidents, Jamaran seized the two vessels,” state TV said. “After securing the international shipping waterway, the Naval Squadron No. 84 released the vessels in a safe area.”
