During the Six-Day War, Israel attacked and nearly sank the
USS Liberty belonging to its closest ally, the USA.
Thirty-four American servicemen were killed in the two-hour
assault by Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats. Israel claimed
that the whole affair had been a tragic accident based on
mistaken identification of the ship. The American government
accepted the explanation.
For more than 30 years many people have disbelieved the
official explanation but have been unable to rebut it
convincingly. Now, Dead in the Water uses startling new
evidence to reveal the truth behind the seemingly inexplicable
attack. The film combines dramatic reconstruction of the
events, with new access to former officers in the US and
Israeli armed forces and intelligence services who have
decided to give their own version of events.
Interviews include President Lyndon Johnson's Secretary of
Defence Robert McNamara, former head of the Israeli navy
Admiral Shlomo Errell and members of the USS Liberty crew.
Previous
documentaries on BBC Four
Divers investigate the torpedo wound to
the USS Liberty