Iran ‘unable to take Australians’

Iranian naval forces in the Gulf tried to capture an Australian Navy boarding team but were vigorously repelled, the BBC has learned. The incident took place before Iran successfully seized 15 British sailors and Marines in March.

The Australians, though, to quote one military source, “were having none of it”. The BBC has been told the Australians re-boarded the vessel they had just searched, aimed their machine guns at the approaching Iranians and warned them to back off, using what was said to be “highly colourful language”

From the West Australian;

Petty Officer Andrew Keitley was awarded one of the military’s highest honours, the Distinguished Service Medal, for his actions as part of an Australian boarding party in the Persian Gulf in 2004.

PO Keitley led a party onto a ship in the Shatt al-Arab waterway when they were surrounded by five Iranian armed boats.

The Iranians menaced the Australians for about four hours and made a number of attempts to force their way on board. The Australians were eventually winched off the cargo ship by an Australian Seahawk helicopter.

The chopper pilot, Lt-Cdr Tony Johnston, was also awarded a DSM. Well done guys!