Jane and Alan Kelvey, a British couple, have spoken out about their close encounter with a Russian warship in the English Channel, rejecting claims that they were at fault. The incident, which occurred a month ago, thrust them into the international spotlight, but they remain focused on their sailing trip.
Encounter with the Admiral Grigorovich
The Kelveys were a few hours into a two-month sailing trip on their 12-metre boat, Bright Future, when they encountered the Admiral Grigorovich, a 125-metre Russian frigate. Jane Kelvey, 69, and Alan Kelvey, 71, initially assumed the vessel was French or British, but as they drew closer, they realized it was Russian. The warship sounded its horn and fired warning shots, which Jane described as having a 'whip-crack' sound.
Jane took cover while Alan steered the yacht away. 'It was obviously a surprise,' Jane said, but they were not frightened. The couple have since replayed the incident and studied various accounts, including Moscow's claim that the yacht was on a 'dangerous course,' which they deny. Keir Starmer described the Russian actions as 'reckless.'
Rejecting Criticism
The Kelveys have faced criticism from some quarters, including 'armchair sailors' who believe they were at fault. 'We weren't at fault,' Jane said. 'They weren't there and they didn't see what we saw.' The couple also noted that the Russian vessel should have displayed day shapes indicating its operational status if it was adrift, which it did not.
Jane added that the Russians 'obviously did the wrong thing.' The couple received a phone call from a UK government defence minister to check on their well-being but have had no further contact from the Ministry of Defence.
Aftermath and Reflection
Since the incident, the Kelveys have continued their sailing trip, facing challenges from poor weather rather than hostile warships. 'We've just been sailing around,' Jane said. 'It's pouring with rain. Throwing it down, thunder and lightning.'
Jane recalled that she almost had a heart attack two days after the encounter when she remembered that in recent years, they had flown a Ukrainian flag on Bright Future. 'Ever since 2022, I've flown a Ukraine courtesy flag on our yacht,' she said. 'I didn't put it up this year.' A fellow sailor, ex-military, reacted with shock, saying, 'Oh, my God, that could have been a different outcome.'
Moving Forward
Alan played down the episode, saying, 'That was last month. We moved forward and we're enjoying ourselves. I didn't think they were trying to sink us. I just wanted to get out of the way a bit quick, that's all.' The couple read with interest the UK government's announcement of an extra £15bn investment in defence, with Jane saying, 'We're quite happy about that. I don't think that was us, to be fair. But, you know, it may have helped.'
