bluetooth device — bluetooth device — A Bluetooth tracking device, valued at €5, inadvertently revealed the location of the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen while it was deployed off the coast of Cyprus. The frigate, part of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle’s strike group, was sent to the region a month ago following an Iranian drone attack on the island.
Photo: cyprus-mail.com
According to Dutch television channel Omroep Gelderland, the tracking device was attached to a postcard and sent via the Dutch military’s postal service. This allowed the sender to monitor the frigate’s movements remotely for several days. The device, typically used for locating lost items such as keys, was dispatched from the Netherlands and made its way to the frigate stationed in the Mediterranean.
The HNLMS Evertsen docked at Heraklion, Crete, on March 27, where the device was taken aboard. It tracked the frigate’s journey until March 28, when it arrived off the coast of Cyprus and subsequently went offline. A spokesperson from the Dutch defence ministry confirmed that the tracker was found during mail sorting on the ship and noted that while its location could have been tracked, it did not pose an operational risk.
In response to this incident, adjustments have been made to military protocol, prohibiting the mailing of any items containing batteries to Dutch warships. Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz has reported the matter to parliament, highlighting the importance of security in military operations.
This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that a ship within the Charles de Gaulle strike group has faced location breaches. A sailor aboard the Charles de Gaulle had previously revealed the ship’s location through a fitness app, unwittingly sharing data from his jog that indicated the carrier’s position near Cyprus.
The French armed forces acknowledged the breach, stating it was against current instructions for sailors, and committed to implementing corrective measures. Earlier challenges for the HNLMS Evertsen included issues with its main naval gun, which was found to be inoperable. Despite this, the ship’s commander, Marcel Keveling, maintained that alternative weapon systems were available and emphasised that the frigate’s primary role was air defence.
Alongside the HNLMS Evertsen, the strike group includes Italy’s Federico Martinego frigate and Spain’s Cristobal Colon frigate. Though there is no set end date for their deployment, the Dutch government has characterised this mission as a limited, defensive operation.
