British Navy Sends 3rd Warship to Gulf 08/25 10:23

   LONDON (AP) -- Britain says a third Royal Navy vessel is heading to the 
Persian Gulf to protect merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

   The navy says the HMS Defender, a Type 45 destroyer, will join the frigates 
HMS Kent and HMS Montrose. The Montrose is due to leave for planned repairs 
later this month, while the Kent has relieved the destroyer HMS Duncan.

   Britain's navy has been escorting U.K.-flagged vessels in the region since 
Iran seized a British-flagged oil tanker there last month.

   The navy originally said the Defender was heading to the Asia Pacific region 
when it left its home port of Portsmouth alongside the Kent earlier this month. 
The change was announced in a Royal Navy statement Saturday.


(KR)