Following the “suspected hijacking” of a crude oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday, an ex-rear admiral has warned the security of the UK’s waters is “unacceptable.”
The former rear admiral Christopher Parry, who is a maritime expert, warned that the Channel is an “insecure area” and the government must “take control.”
Speaking in Portsmouth he said local felt “quite worried” that there was a “rogue ship sitting off the Isle of Wight” where no one really knew if they were terrorists, hijackers or simple stowaways.
He told Sky News that the Nave Andromeda’s Captain and crew were “not in control” as the ship was zig-zagging before it came to a stop.
He added, “I think we’ve been saying over the last few months that it’s essential to have a safe and secure maritime border and hopefully this was picked up by our surveillance activities rather than actually being reported from the ship.
“But it does indicate that the Channel is an insecure area which the Government has to take control of.
“As I said earlier, we’re sitting off Britain’s premier naval port and it’s unacceptable.”
Leave a Comment