d'van - The Cornwall was out in deeper water, by an earlier report referenced above but I can't recall which one.

The helicopter left the scene, for reasons I don't remember exactly and which I think were a bit unclear - I think it was just too routine and boring for them to hang around, and something called them them toward the Iraqi shore.

One BBC report, however, says that the helicopter saw the Iranians approaching, and that I do not understand. (This is referenced up above at 23 Mar 07 - 12:59.)

(Also up above, 28 Mar 07 - 12:52 AM, it shows Terri Judd, reporting from the Cornwall, says the Iranians surrounded the Brits as they approached the merchant vessel. Strange an onite reporter could get it so wrong, five or so days after the event.)

For reasons still unknown to the West, the boarding party's gps stopped functioning at the time of their apprehension. (I forget where I read that.) Some conjecture that the Brits threw it into the sea, perhaps to preclude Iranian access to it. (I think this was very helpful in that the Iranians could not bring it into Iranian waters, while still transmitting.) This device was monitored and apparently displayed at the Cornwall continuously and in real time. From what I can tell, this is extraordinarily good evidence, especially in combination with the merchant vessel's records, of exactly where the incident occurred. I don't see how Russia or others could dismiss it. The only way it can be dismissed is to say that the records could have been altered after the fact, aboard the Cornwall, while not generating inconsitencies elsewhere, which seems very unlikely.

I finnaly got to view the DOD video on the BBC site, and as referenced by Keith, above. They guy referenced four or five similar boardings in the same area shortly before this incident. These earlier events would certainly help the Iranians plan their little excursion. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6501555.stm) This little excursion also greatly enhances their "street cred" in the Middle east, which you know means a lot to them.