Iranian Act of War?

News is breaking that Iranian forces have effectively kidnapped 15 British Navy sailors and marines. The personnel were operating in Iraqi waters carrying out a routine patrol. They boarded a ship suspected of smuggling cars when they were seized at gunpoint. We'll try and keep you updated.

UPDATE: A statement from the MoD:

The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters.

Forcing them into Iranian waters sounds like a kidnapping.

UPDATE: Some BBC reporters are treating this as a kidnapping. The BBC news website quotes Commodore Nick Lambert as saying, "I hope we find this is a simple misunderstanding at the tactical level."

Meanwhile, over at MPACUK forums we have two members expressing their desire that these sailors not be freed but rather used as human shields!