COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Navy has confirmed the recovery of 87 bodies from the sunken Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Commander Buddhi Sampath described the scene at the site, noting that no part of the vessel remained visible, with only oil patches and floating life rafts observed.
Rescue and Casualty Details
According to Commander Sampath, Survivors were found floating in the water. Following the incident, 32 injured individuals were transferred to nearby hospital.
Approximately 180 personnel were on board the vessel at the time of the sinking.
Recovered bodies are being transferred to the shore by naval teams, according to a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan Navy.
The tragedy has intensified concerns in the region, with rescue operations continuing amid efforts to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the warship’s sinking.
Earlier, an Iranian naval warship reportedly sank near Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to foreign news agencies. The vessel was allegedly targeted by a US attack while returning from exercises in India.
US officials claim the warship was struck by a submarine. At the time, the ship was carrying 180 personnel. Sri Lankan authorities have launched a rescue operation, with 30 injured crew members already transferred to hospitals.
The incident has raised questions among Sri Lankan opposition leaders about whether the attack was part of ongoing operations against Iran. The Sri Lankan government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the event.
In a major escalation in the Middle East, US Defense Secretary Pete Hagsteth confirmed that a US submarine fired a torpedo targeting an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, causing it to sink near Sri Lanka.
According to Hagsteth, the vessel was returning from exercises in India when it was struck. He emphasized that additional US forces are being deployed to the region to strengthen operational capabilities.
US and Allied Military Strategy
The US, in coordination with Israel, is expected to gain control over Iranian airspace within a week.
General Dan Keane stated that US forces have established air control along Iran’s southern coast and are advancing toward Iran’s interior territories.
Iranian missile and drone activity has reportedly decreased amid ongoing operations.
Officials confirmed that the US possesses sufficient stockpiles of weapons to sustain operations and that assessing losses from the strike will take additional time.
Political and Strategic Remarks
Hagsteth described the operations as ongoing and indicated that achieving objectives in Iran would require time but assured that progress is being made. He also claimed that Iran previously attempted to target former US President Donald Trump.
No independent confirmation has yet been released by Iranian or Sri Lankan authorities, while satellite images and intelligence reports continue to be analyzed.
According to foreign media reports, the Sri Lankan navy was dispatched to rescue the crew of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena after it reportedly sank. By the time the rescue vessels arrived at the scene, the warship had already submerged.
