Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the assistance given to the Romanian vessel Fundulea by the Royal Navy frigate Battleaxe in the Straits of Hormuz on 23 November; and to what extent Royal Naval vessels are permitted to aid foreign shipping under attack.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe role of the Armilla patrol is to uphold the safety of British merchant shipping in the Gulf area. It is our long-standing practice not to comment on the patrol's rules of engagement in fulfilling this task.
Any Royal Naval ship will, on humanitarian grounds, take appropriate action to help save life. In this particular case, following reports that the Fundulea had been attacked and was on fire, HMS Battleaxe deployed a Lynx helicopter to help search for survivors. The helicopter remained in the area of the stricken vessel until it was confirmed that all her company had been accounted for.