LONDON (AFP)
British foreign ministry officials said that they had issued an apology after three off-duty Royal Air Force crew members allegedly got drunk in Abu Dhabi and tried to get into a limousine belonging to the brother of the president of the United Arab Emirates.
The men, part of an RAF Tornado crew that was taking part in a multinational exercise, were arrested by local police on Thursday and later released on Sunday. They are set to face trial next week.
According to a report in The Sun tabloid, the trio had been drinking alcohol before they attended a Justin Timberlake concert.
After they left, they "mistakenly" tried to get into a limousine belonging to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan's brother.
The British foreign ministry confirmed that an apology had been issued, while the defense ministry said in a statement:
"The RAF can confirm that three off-duty personnel were arrested in Abu Dhabi on December 6 by local police in connection with an alleged incident. They were released on bail on December 9.
"We expect our service personnel abroad to conduct themselves appropriately, taking into account local sensitivities and Foreign Office travel advice."