San Meresque Incident

San Meresque Incident
Part of COSTAL Crisis
File:SM incident.jpg Top Left: Hayesalian Vortex-Class ASW; Top Right: Inyurstan F-16 Block 50 Vipers; Bottom: Island in the San Meresque Steip
Date July 10th, 2018 Location San Meresque Strip, Inyursta Result Inyurstan Victory; Results Ongoing
Belligerents
Inyursta	New Hayesalia
Commanders and leaders
Admiràle Nicolas Paselles	Commodore Halit Samuels Captain Nikols
Strength
Inyursta x4 F-16 Block 50+ Viper Fighters x2 SSM-4T Leviathan Batteries x2 IEK-88C Block II Taipan Fighter/Interceptors x1 ADM-140 Strategic SAM + Maritime rescue forces, indeterminate maritime patrols Supported by Gran Cuscatlan x4 MiG-31 Interceptors	x1 Narvik-Class Cruiser x2 Polaris-Class Destroyers x1 Vortex-Class ASW Ship x1 MQ-4C Triton Drone x2 CBU-160 Long-range bombers
Casualties and losses
Inyursta None	Template:Country data New Hayesalia >100 KIA >350 POW >1 MIA x3 Ships destroyed x1 MQ-4C Triton destroyed x1 Vortex-Class ASW Ship captured Total: ~ 400

The San Meresque Incident was a brief skirmish between various armed forces of La Républiqua D'Inyursta and the Greater Island Kingdom of New Hayesalia that took place southwest of the lower San Meresque Strip in Inyursta.

Background

See also: COSTAL Crisis

Tensions between Inyursta and New Hayesalia began during the drafting and negotiations over the Convention for Stability, Armament and Liberation (COSTAL); wherein New Hayesalia condemned the new maritime claims allowed by the accords. Inyursta was a huge player in the creation and promotion of COSTAL, and the accords are considered to be a large cornerstone of Président Jean-Baptiste Calderone's foreign policy.

The government of New Hayesalia threatened to challenge Inyursta's claims, via the use of "freedom of navigation" exercises; while the Inyurstan military moved up alert readiness and prepared to defend against any incursions into their claimed territory.

Primary Incident

On July 10th, a Hayesalian surface group was detected and identified by Inyurstan maritime patrols moving north-northeast towards the lower San Meresque Strip. Upon crossing the 74km limit claimed by Inyursta, the group was hailed and confirmed via radio contact to be the Hayesalian task force "Battle of Tinios", it was subsequently warned to divert course and exit Inyurstan waters. After several attempts to demand the task force exit Inyurstan waters, an unnamed coastal artillery battery in Inyursta fired a warning shot, landing deliberately a few kilometers short of the surface group; however, the warning shot was ineffective at causing the Hayesalian vessels to abort their heading.

Sometime just before six pm that evening, coastal defense batteries of the Inyurstan Coast Guard and four F-16 Block 50+ Vipers of the Inyurstan Air Force simultaneously attacked with single salvo of twelve Leviathan Anti-Ship Missiles at a functionally point-blank range. Hayesalian defenses were overwhelmed by the supersonic AShM's, and three ships were critically damaged and began to sink while a single Vortex-Class ASW ship, the Prince Kerr, was left undamaged but alone in hostile waters. During the time of the attack, an Inyurstan surface-to-air missile battery also engaged and shot down a single Hayesalian MQ-4C drone monitoring the situation.

Inyurstan Coast Guard personnel arrived on-scene to rescue and detain stranded sailors, and shortly after the Prince Kerr was escorted to harbor in the San Meresque Strip where it was cleared out and seized by Inyurstan forces.

Hayesalian Bomber Interception

Shortly following the incident, LATRAD Over-the-Horizon radars in Cuscatlan detected a pair of aircraft moving towards Chuchara and Inyursta at supersonic speeds. A flight of interceptors was scrambled, and LATRAD alerted it's counter-parts in the Inyurstan military. Soon after, the Inyurstans verfied the targets on their own OTH systems and scrambled four AC-88E Taipan Block II interceptors towards the incoming aircraft.

The pair was hailed by Cuscatlani pilots, and confirmed to be two Hayesalian CBU-160 Super Blackjack strategic bombers. With the Cuscatlani aircraft pushing critical range and the arrival of Inyurstan aircraft in their direct flight path the pair of bombers diverted course and flew off without further incident or casualties.

Aftermath

Inyursta's actions received condemnations from New Hayesalia and other western maritime powers, such as Spirit of Hope. Allies of Inyursta remained firm in their support of its actions under Calderone. On the heels of the incident, a similar situation in Nihon took place with Hayesalia, with the Merick Isles making similar but unchallenged claims.

The Hayesalian POW's were treated of their wounds, and respectfully accommodated for less than a week before being returned to New Hayesalia via third-party nations. A single POW escaped custody and is alleged to responsible for assaulting two Inyurstan civilians, whereabouts are currently unknown.

Following elections in New Hayesalia, newly-elected Prime Minister Daniel Hayes made offers to negotiate the situation with Inyursta and Nihon; however Inyursta has made no word on the matter and is currently refusing to give up their captured vessel.