The World - News from Aug. 8, 1988

A British warship came within 10 seconds of shooting down a civilian aircraft over the Persian Gulf last year, according to a British weekly newspaper, the Observer. Quoting unnamed air traffic controllers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the paper reported that the destroyer Cardiff last year had aimed surface-to-air missiles at a plane that did not respond to warnings from the ship. “Preparations were made to shoot down the plane,” the Observer said. “Anti-aircraft missiles were within 10 seconds of being launched when a final check revealed the plane was not hostile.” The paper did not further identify the plane or provide a date for the alleged incident.