A French sailor appears to have accidentally exposed the position of a major warship – simply by logging a run on his smartwatch. The crew member was jogging on board the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle as it sailed through the eastern Mediterranean on March 13, amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran.
He recorded a 4.3-mile run lasting 35 minutes, which was later uploaded to his public profile on the Strava fitness app, according to French outlet Le Monde. While the carrier’s deployment was not secret, the data is said to have revealed its precise location in near real time. The Charles de Gaulle is France’s flagship vessel and the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside of the US military.
It was deployed by President Emmanuel Macron alongside several frigates following US-Israeli strikes in late February, with the mission of protecting vital shipping lanes from potential Iranian attacks.
Just days before the run was recorded, Mr Macron had visited the vessel after it was redirected from North Atlantic exercises. Speaking on board, he said: “France is there to protect its own, to be at the side of its allies and friends who are being hit.
“Your presence today demonstrates the power of France, a balancing power, one of peace.”
The incident has once again raised concerns about the security risks associated with publicly shared fitness data.
The app has also reportedly revealed patrol patterns of French nuclear submarines.
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