U.S. ship fires on boat off Dubai coast; 1 dead
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - A U.S. Navy ship opened fire on a small boat racing toward it Monday near the Gulf city of Dubai, killing one person, according to American officials.
In a statement, the Navy said the USNS Rappahannock fired on the boat with its .50-caliber machine gun after the boat "disregarded warnings and rapidly approached" the U.S. ship near Dubai's Jebel Ali port. The Rappahannock "repeatedly attempted" to warn the vessel to turn away from the ship before firing, the statement says.
The Navy said the incident is under investigation.
The Rappahannock is an oiler used to fuel other Navy ships while they are at sea.
The official gave no other details, but it appeared that U.S. personnel could have seen the boat — mistakenly or not — as a threat in Gulf waters not far from Iran's maritime boundaries.
The white-hulled boat was inspected by dozens of police and other Emirati officials after the incident in a small Dubai port used by fishermen and sailors.
The boat appeared to be a civilian vessel about 30 feet long and powered by three outboard motors. It had no obvious military markings.