LONDON — A British couple sailing a yacht in the English Channel said a Russian warship fired warning shots near their vessel after an encounter south of the Isle of Wight, an incident that prompted concern from British officials and drew scrutiny amid heightened tensions between Russia and Western countries.
The couple, Jane and Alan Kelvey, were aboard their UK-registered yacht, Bright Future, on Tuesday when the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots, according to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and accounts from the sailors. No injuries or damage were reported. The incident occurred about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside British territorial waters, officials said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the episode on Wednesday as “reckless and deeply concerning” while speaking at the Group of Seven summit in France. He said the safety of the civilians aboard the yacht had been placed at risk and added that the incident “should not have happened.”
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the yacht approached the frigate on a dangerous course and failed to respond to repeated radio calls. Russian officials said the warship’s crew attempted to contact the vessel through international maritime channels, launched warning flares and sounded warning signals before firing small-arms warning shots when the yacht continued to close the distance. Moscow said the crew acted “in strict compliance with international navigation regulations.”
The Kelveys offered a different account. Jane Kelvey told British media the experience was “a bit scary,” although she said she did not believe the yacht was in immediate danger. The couple said they heard warning horn blasts and altered course, but questioned whether they had posed a collision risk to the Russian vessel.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that warning shots were fired but said they were not directed at the yacht. An MoD spokesperson said the shots were “an attempt to prevent a possible collision” after efforts to contact the British vessel. British officials described the event as an isolated maritime incident.
The encounter occurred days after British forces intercepted and boarded a sanctioned tanker linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the English Channel. British authorities, however, said there was no indication that the yacht incident was connected to that operation.
A Royal Navy vessel monitoring the Russian frigate later checked on the yacht and its crew, according to British officials. As of Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence said it was continuing to review the circumstances surrounding the incident, while no further action had been announced by either government.
