Iranian Warship Sinks Off Sri Lanka Coast, Over 140 Sailors Missing Amid US-Iran Conflict
An Iranian naval frigate sank in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday morning, leaving more than 140 crew members unaccounted for and dozens injured, as the fallout from the US-Israel military campaign against Iran spread into international waters, the Indian Express reported.
Sri Lankan officials rejected reports, first published by Reuters citing sources in the country's navy and defence ministry, that the distress call was the result of a submarine attack on the Iranian vessel.
The IRIS Dena, a domestically built Moudge-class warship carrying around 180 sailors, sent out a distress signal at approximately 5.30 am local time while positioned about 40 nautical miles from the coastal city of Galle.
Sri Lanka's navy and air force launched a joint rescue operation shortly after.
Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath confirmed that "we have found a few bodies from the area where the ship had gone down," adding that hopes for the 148 missing were fading while 32 had been hospitalised. The rescued sailors, many critically wounded, were rushed to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that Sri Lanka had acted on the distress call, with Sampath stating, "We responded to the distress call under our international obligations, as this is within our Search and Rescue Area in the Indian Ocean."
While initial reports attributed the sinking to a possible submarine strike, Sri Lankan authorities officially denied those claims.
Officials said the cause remained under investigation. Both the navy and air force withheld rescue footage since it involved another country's military assets.
The incident carries particular significance for India. The IRIS Dena had participated in the International Fleet Review at Visakhapatnam in February, where the Indian Navy had welcomed the frigate alongside vessels from several nations.
The sinking unfolded against the backdrop of the rapidly intensifying US-Israel military operation against Iran, which began on 28 February and has killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with senior officials.