By The South Asia Times

COLOMBO - An Iranian naval vessel has sunk off Sri Lanka’s southern coast after reportedly being hit near international waters, leaving 78 crew members injured and more than 100 missing, according to Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror.

 

Analysts say the incident could involve a US or Indian vessel, noting the ship had recently participated in naval drills in India before heading back toward Iran.

 

Defense sources told the Daily Mirror that the frigate IRIS Dena was attacked by a foreign submarine while it was outside Sri Lankan territorial waters. Sri Lankan authorities said the vessel, carrying around 180 crew members, issued a distress call at dawn before going down approximately 25 miles south of the island.

 

At least 101 sailors are reported missing, while 78 others sustained injuries.

 

During a parliamentary session, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vajitha Herath confirmed that injured crew members rescued from the ship had been admitted to a hospital in southern Sri Lanka.

 

The Sri Lanka Navy said it launched a search and rescue mission in line with international maritime obligations. Two naval vessels and a surveillance aircraft were deployed to the area, and 32 Iranian sailors were transported to the main hospital in Galle for treatment.

 

An opposition lawmaker questioned in Parliament whether the vessel had been targeted amid ongoing regional tensions involving the United States and Israel against Iran. Unconfirmed reports circulating in diplomatic and maritime circles suggest the ship may have been struck by a foreign submarine, though Sri Lankan authorities have not officially confirmed those claims.

 

Maritime security analysts noted that IRIS Dena had recently participated in naval exercises in Visakhapatnam, India, before beginning its return voyage to Iran. Given the current geopolitical climate, some analysts speculate that a US or Indian submarine could have been operating in the broader Indian Ocean region, though no evidence has been publicly presented to substantiate those claims.

 

However, analysts note that the incident occurred while the vessel was returning from India after participating in the International Fleet Review and naval exercises in Visakhapatnam earlier in February.

 

The sinking happened soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, during which the two countries pledged to strengthen defense ties. This sequence of events has raised questions in some diplomatic and maritime circles about India’s role in the broader context of the conflict.