Carter says ‘navigation error’ – not mechanical problem – put United States boats in

The Pentagon had previously contended that the boats strayed into Iranian waters because of mechanical problems.

The 10 U.S. Navy sailors held by Iran were told by their captors to “act happy” while they were being videotaped during their detention, according to a U.S. defense official with access to the latest information about the debriefing of the sailors. “They obviously had mis-navigated… that’s how they believe they ended up in this circumstance”. Even if that turns out not to have happened, it’s unimaginable that the crew wouldn’t have known of the location of an island that houses a large Iranian naval base.

The vessels were apprehended by Iran s Revolutionary Guards while en route from Kuwait to Bahrain.

Carter provided no detail but said “a navigational error of some kind” led to the two small patrol boats ending up in Iranian water on Tuesday. “All the contributing factors to that we don’t know yet, and we’re still talking to those folks, and we’ll find out more… but they were clearly out of the position that they meant to be in”.

The U.S sailor was filmed saying, “It was a mistake that was our fault and we apologize for our mistake”.

“They did not report this navigational error” to Navy commanders at the time the incident occurred on January 12, Carter added. Some images also showed Iranian personnel viewing the sailors’ documents and handling their weapons and ammunition.

The sailors were released on January 13, a day after Iran detained them.

The 10 US sailors who were detained in Iran inn the hours before President Obama’s State of the Union address have been a hot topic among Republicans lately, including at Thursday night’s debate, but one sailor in particular has become the focus of the conservative screech machine.

General Lloyd Austin, head of U.S. Central Command, said the equipment on the boats is being inventoried but nothing at first look appeared to be missing.