1 hour ago
Last Updated:March 04, 2026, 18:35 IST
The 180-strong crew was aboard the vessel when it began taking on water at dawn, according to local media reports.
Sri Lankan Navy and Defence Ministry sources describe the sinking as a 'classic submarine torpedo attack'. (File image)
More than 100 people were reported missing and at least 78 injured after an Iranian naval frigate sent out a distress call off the coast of Sri Lanka, following a submarine attack on the vessel, Reuters reported citing officials from Sri Lanka’s navy and defence ministry.
Sri Lanka scrambled ships and aircraft to rescue the crew of the Iris Dena, a Moudge-class frigate of the Iranian Navy, which was sinking approximately 40 nautical miles off the port city of Galle- just outside Sri Lankan territorial waters.
The 180-strong crew was aboard the vessel when it began taking on water at dawn, according to local media reports.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed the rescue mission to parliament, saying 30 injured sailors were being transported to a hospital in the island’s south. The main hospital in Galle, located 115 kilometres from the capital Colombo, was placed on high alert to receive the evacuated sailors.
Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said the Navy and Air Force were conducting a joint operation to extract the remaining crew from the stricken frigate.
Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said the rescue operation was consistent with the country’s maritime obligations.
“We responded to the distress call under our international obligations, as this is within our Search and Rescue Area in the Indian Ocean," he was quoted as saying by AFP.
The exact cause of the sinking had not been officially confirmed, though the incident comes as the broader West Asia conflict- triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran last weekend and Iran’s subsequent retaliation- continues to have consequences for international shipping lanes.
The sinking also coincides with a dramatic escalation in the strategic contest for control of key maritime chokepoints. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared that they hold full command of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments. Guards Navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh warned that vessels attempting to transit the waterway face the risk of missile strikes or damage from stray drones.
US President Donald Trump said the American Navy stood ready to escort oil tankers through the Gulf shipping route- a direct counter to Iran’s posturing.
The Iris Dena is among the more advanced vessels in the Iranian fleet. Its loss, if confirmed, would represent a significant blow to Iranian naval capability at a moment of intense military pressure.
The full scale of casualties remained unclear as rescue operations continued.
First Published:
March 04, 2026, 15:41 IST
News world US Torpedoes Iranian Warship Off Sri Lanka Coast: Over 100 Crew Missing, 78 Hurt
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