US sinks Iranian vessel returning from India near Sri Lankan waters
The IRIS Dena was hit by a US submarine while returning from an international naval exercise in Visakhapatnam. At least 80 of the approximately 180 crew members were killed and dozens are missing. The US claimed responsibility for the attack while the war with Iran threatens to spill over into the Indian Ocean.
Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – At least 80 people have died after an Iranian naval vessel was sunk by a US submarine off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister announced.
Sri Lankan authorities rescued dozens of crew members and recovered some bodies from the sea, but dozens remain missing. The incident occurred in the Indian Ocean about 40 nautical miles (75 kilometres) from the port of Galle.
US Secretary of War Pete Heghseth confirmed responsibility for the attack, despite the ship being in international waters, as part of the war his country has launched against Iran. Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continue.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath informed parliament that the vessel involved is the IRIS[*] frigate Dena, which had issued a distress call in the early hours of the morning, elicited an immediate response from the Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force in a joint rescue operation.
So far, 32 wounded sailors have been rescued and taken to a public hospital in Galle, located in the south of the island.
A Sri Lankan Navy spokesperson noted that the priority at present is rescuing any survivors.
According to Navy and defence ministry sources cited by international media, approximately 180 crew members were on board.
The Iranian frigate was in the Indian Ocean after participating in the International Fleet Review 2026, a major international naval review organised by India in the port city of Visakhapatnam, on the country's eastern coast.
The ship arrived in the Indian port in mid-February along with naval units from several other countries, but then remained to conduct joint exercises in Operation Milan 2026, one of the Indian Navy's major exercises.
Iran rarely participates in international initiatives of this kind, and it appears the vessel was likely returning to Iran after these exercises when it sent the distress call from off the coast of Sri Lanka.
For several days, the United States and Israel have been conducting airstrikes against targets in Iran, while Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks against Israel and US-linked facilities in the Gulf countries.
According to reports released so far, hundreds of people have been killed in Iran, including many civilians, while attacks on US targets in the region have left several wounded.
The sinking of the ship, however, risks further widening the conflict, which has now reached Turkey, a NATO member west of Iran, which shot down an Iranian missile.
India, which is already monitoring the armed conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, now risks becoming involved.
Right after the start of the Israeli-American attack on Iran, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed “concern”. Only a few hours earlier, he had been in Israel meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to boost relations between the two countries. Upon returning home, he faced strong criticism.
Now the attack on the Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean further increases uncertainty regarding regional maritime traffic following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, officials from the Iranian embassy in Colombo have sent two officers to Galle to speak with survivors and gather information.
[*] Islamic Republic of Iran Ship.
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