Royal Navy in hot water as weapons point at Michelle Obama’s hotel
ALARM HMS Edinburgh alongside in Cape Town in June with her ceremonial Sea Dart missiles pointing at the Presidential Suite of the Table Bay Hotel
SPOOKED US Secret Service agents told a Royal Navy warship to stop pointing its missiles at Michelle Obama’s hotel room while sailors were holding a ceremony to mark the death of a colleague.
The First Lady and her children were on an official visit to Cape Town, South Africa, when HMS Edinburgh came into port with her ceremonial Sea Dart missiles on show.
The ship had the drill weapons out because it was carrying out the repatriation of an officer who had died on the ship just days before.
But US officials were concerned about the missiles pointing at the five-star Table Bay Hotel where Mrs Obama was staying, as pictured on the front page.
A source said the burly agents told sailors: ‘You can’t point those guns at the First Lady,’ before it was explained to them the US President’s family was not at risk.
Details have just emerged of the incident on June 24.
At the time, the Edinburgh was at Procedure Alpha – a ceremonial routine – for the repatriation of Lieutenant Sara Hellawell, 26, whose body was discovered in her cabin on June 16.
Ex-Royal Navy officer Mike Critchley, publisher of Warship World magazine, said: ‘This is typical American Secret Service going over the top. I would have thought they could trust their British allies to not put a missile through the bedroom window of the First Lady.
‘It is unfortunate that this happened at an extremely sad time for the ship.’
A Royal Navy spokesman said: ‘The ship was at Procedure Alpha because she was carrying out a repatriation.
‘This involved the drill missiles being on their launcher. American officials did visit the ship. They simply wanted to know if the missiles were live. When it was explained that they were drill rounds they went away content.’
A White House spokesman said: ‘We do not comment on security questions regarding the First Lady.’
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
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Liebour 1997-2010
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 05:26 PMSea Dart can hit any think that can be illuminated by its type 909 radar which includes buildings. However the drill rounds have a distinct range limitation ie. straight down
Yocal
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 05:13 PMActually more dangerous would be the gun at the front. Seems a bit strange that they were worried about the missiles!
Yocal
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 05:12 PMIt's an anti-aircraft weapon, I don't think the systems would identify a hotel as an aircraft.
DozyRosie
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 04:11 PM@5. This is not an article about Pompey football team!
the voice2
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 03:58 PMBrainless stupid yanks yet again. YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT YANKS.
Royal Blue
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 02:45 PMPortsmouth-based with a strike-force of two up front and both of them duds!
Portsea Islander
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 12:16 PMJust cause their forces couldn't hit a barn door and only ever seem do so with friendly fire doesn't mean they should judge our superior forces by their standards. The RN should've then fired off a bottle rocket as a joke!
Tick Tock
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 12:06 PMThey have never had a problem with friendly fire !
Prozium
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:13 AMSays on the article the weapons were only drill rockets, not live, nor dangerous. So nothing to worry about?
DozyRosie
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:04 AMI suppose we can't be too surprised. We can't trust their troops not to kill ours in "friendly fire" incidents, so they don't trust us. Prats!!
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