Spy ship rescues Russian fishermen

[Kalevalatar]

'Cool' news:

Spy ship rescues Russian fishermen - The Local

A Swedish surveillance ship operating in the Baltic sea has saved two Russian fisherman from drowning, according to a report in Svenska Dagbladet.

More in Swedish, här, var så god.

On Sunday morning, Swedish (SIGINT) spy ship HMS Orion received a distress call from (Russian) Kalingrad: a Russian fishing boat had capsized and four Russian fishermen were missing. Orion asked Russian permission to breach Russian territorial waters and was given go ahead. A fast rescue boat was launched and Orion managed to pick up two Russian fishermen, both suffering hypothermia, all this in fifteen minutes. The other two Russian fishermen are still missing and believed to be lost.

 

[Matthewj1985]

Why does Sweden need spy ships?

 

[Kalevalatar]

Why does Sweden need spy ships?

Short answer? Because, (think Switzerland and their famous and oft-quoted armed militia), neutrality (and independence) requires a credible defense force; a power vacuum would be an open invitation (think US-occupied Iraq and Afghanistan). Swedish military spending is quite considerable (Sweden spends more than North Korea, Iran or Pakistan!), considering we are talking about a nation of just 9 million citizens that hasn't engaged in warfare in 200 years (!) and that is totally at peace with its neighbours (Denmark, Finland, and Norway).

Cheers,
Kalevalatar

 

[Panzerkamfwagen]

It was a Russian "trawler." We know about those.

 

[Kalevalatar]

It was a Russian "trawler." We know about those.

Finland and Sweden have been engaged in shall I call it low intensity submarine warfare with Soviet-Russia for ages. At least in one occasion Finland opted to use bombs to expel Russian submarines from Finnish territorial waters. The Russians also have a habit of "straying" (accidentally, of course!) in Finnish air space. I guess those Russians are just like really lousy pilots, in the air and at sea...

 

[seashale76]

Nice to see good news for a change.