Ministry launches investigation following relevations made by navy chaplain

The chaplain of the Xawery Czernicki logistics support ship has charged sailors from the vessels with robbing and sinking an Iranian fishing boat. In a newly published book entitled "History of military priesthood on Polish soil", chaplain Bogusław Wrona claims, "Czernicki did not save a single Iranian castaway. The fishermen were rescued by an American helicopter, while part of [Czernicki's] crew went about robbing the boat. (...) This is documented in photos and on film." Navy spokesman Captain Bartosz Zajda said that the incident is indeed documented, only there is no sign of any robbery in the pictures. In spite of this, Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński launched an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, the chaplain has been told that unless he withdraws the charges he will face dismissal. Aside from claiming robbery was committed, the chaplain also accuses the ship's captain of not participating in mass and for not devoting a separate space for a chapel. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 6) T.J.