A FRENCH sailor appears to have accidentally leaked the live location of a top warship – by going for a jog.
The crew member logged a routine run on a fitness app while circling the deck of France‘s flagship aircraft carrier, potentially exposing its exact location during a volatile Middle East mission.
The sailor recorded a 4.3-mile, 35-minute workout on March 13 aboard the Charles de Gaulle as it sailed towards the eastern Mediterranean.
But the blunder came when the run was uploaded to a public Strava profile – effectively pinpointing the nuclear-powered carrier’s location in near real time, French outlet Le Monde reported.
The warship had been deployed by President Emmanuel Macron to protect key shipping routes amid rising tensions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
While its presence in the region was no secret, the precise position of the vessel and its fleet is highly sensitive.
Data from the run placed the massive 900ft-long carrier near Cyprus, roughly 62 miles off the Turkish coast.
The Charles de Gaulle is France‘s naval pride and the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the US military.
Just days before the gaffe, Macron had addressed troops on board, declaring: “France is there to protect its own, to be at the side of its allies and friends who are being hit.”
He added: “Your presence today demonstrates the power of France, a balancing power, one of peace.”
But the sailor’s fitness tracking may have undone that show of strength.
Strava, used by more than 120 people worldwide, allows users to publicly share routes and locations from workouts.
And it’s not the first time it has sparked security fears.
The app has previously exposed sensitive movements of world leaders’ security teams – including those protecting Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin – and even revealed patrol routes of French nuclear submarines.
French military chiefs admitted the latest post broke strict rules.
The Armed Forces General Staff said sharing the run “does not comply with current regulations” and warned “appropriate measures will be taken by the command.”
It added that “digital hygiene for combatants is a prerequisite before any deployment”.
Worryingly, the sailor may not have been alone.
At least one other public Strava profile has reportedly shared geotagged workouts from another French Navy ship on active duty – along with snaps of the deck, crew and onboard gym gear, the New York Post reported.
The blunder comes at a critical moment in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil artery carrying around a fifth of the world’s supply, has been effectively shut amid escalating conflict with Iran.
In a joint statement, France and allies including Britain, Germany and Canada said they would “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait”.
Meanwhile, in a bold attempt to liberate blockaded vessels, Donald Trump is considering sending in troops to take control of Iran’s crucial oil processing island.
The US president is thinking of taking a risky step to close off or seize Iran’s Kharg Island, which produces 90% of the rogue state’s crude.
