At least 80 killed after US submarine sinks Iranian warship off Sri Lanka
The development came after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine had carried out the strike on the Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
- Mar 4, 2026,
- Updated Mar 4, 2026 8:23 PM IST
At least 80 people were killed after a US submarine struck and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka, the country’s deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday, as the incident added a dramatic new dimension to rising tensions in the region.
The development came after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine had carried out the strike on the Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath earlier told parliament that around 180 personnel were on board the Iranian vessel, identified as the Moudge-class frigate IRIS Dena, when it went down about 40 nautical miles off the island after issuing a distress call.
Officials said the ship sank in international waters south of Sri Lanka. The Iranian warship had reportedly transmitted a distress signal shortly before disappearing from radar.
The vessel had recently participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India and had also taken part in the MILAN multinational naval exercise held in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to February 25. According to information shared by Indian naval authorities earlier, the ship had made a port call at Visakhapatnam during the exercise.
Sri Lankan authorities said rescue teams managed to save 32 people from the water, while several bodies were recovered during search operations. The injured sailors were taken to a state-run hospital in the southern port city of Galle for treatment.
Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said search and rescue operations were continuing in the area.
“We are hopeful we can rescue more people and will continue operations until we are sure,” he said, adding that officials were still working to determine the full extent of casualties.
According to the navy, the ship had already sunk by the time rescue teams reached the location. Personnel responding to the distress call reported seeing an oil slick on the water, indicating that the vessel had gone down.
Sri Lankan naval and air force units launched a coordinated rescue mission after receiving the emergency signal from the Iranian vessel. Officials said the incident occurred beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but the country moved quickly to assist.
Authorities also said that no other ships or aircraft were observed in the immediate area around the time the distress call was issued.
Before the US confirmation, some Sri Lankan defence sources had suggested that the vessel may have been struck by a submarine, though they had said the cause of the sinking was unclear and that investigations would be required.
The acknowledgement by the US defence chief that an American submarine carried out the strike has significantly escalated the situation, raising fresh concerns about the widening scope of the ongoing conflict involving Iran and its regional adversaries.
At least 80 people were killed after a US submarine struck and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka, the country’s deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday, as the incident added a dramatic new dimension to rising tensions in the region.
The development came after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine had carried out the strike on the Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath earlier told parliament that around 180 personnel were on board the Iranian vessel, identified as the Moudge-class frigate IRIS Dena, when it went down about 40 nautical miles off the island after issuing a distress call.
Officials said the ship sank in international waters south of Sri Lanka. The Iranian warship had reportedly transmitted a distress signal shortly before disappearing from radar.
The vessel had recently participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India and had also taken part in the MILAN multinational naval exercise held in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to February 25. According to information shared by Indian naval authorities earlier, the ship had made a port call at Visakhapatnam during the exercise.
Sri Lankan authorities said rescue teams managed to save 32 people from the water, while several bodies were recovered during search operations. The injured sailors were taken to a state-run hospital in the southern port city of Galle for treatment.
Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said search and rescue operations were continuing in the area.
“We are hopeful we can rescue more people and will continue operations until we are sure,” he said, adding that officials were still working to determine the full extent of casualties.
According to the navy, the ship had already sunk by the time rescue teams reached the location. Personnel responding to the distress call reported seeing an oil slick on the water, indicating that the vessel had gone down.
Sri Lankan naval and air force units launched a coordinated rescue mission after receiving the emergency signal from the Iranian vessel. Officials said the incident occurred beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but the country moved quickly to assist.
Authorities also said that no other ships or aircraft were observed in the immediate area around the time the distress call was issued.
Before the US confirmation, some Sri Lankan defence sources had suggested that the vessel may have been struck by a submarine, though they had said the cause of the sinking was unclear and that investigations would be required.
The acknowledgement by the US defence chief that an American submarine carried out the strike has significantly escalated the situation, raising fresh concerns about the widening scope of the ongoing conflict involving Iran and its regional adversaries.