Sri Lanka Recovers 87 Bodies From Iranian Warship Sunk Off Its Coast By A U.s. Submarine

GALLE, Sri Lanka — A torpedo fired by a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship disconnected nan seashore of Sri Lanka, whose navy said Wednesday it recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people.

The Iranian alloy sunk successful nan Indian Ocean was nan Islamic Republic’s “prize ship,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. It was 1 of nan fewer instances of a submarine sinking a vessel since World War II.

The sinking of nan IRIS Dena illustrates a U.S.-Israeli subject cognition against Iran’s subject that is stretching beyond its borders. President Trump has said 1 of nan cardinal objectives of nan warfare is to swipe retired Iran’s Navy.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe successful world waters,” Hegseth said astatine a Pentagon news briefing. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that its navy received accusation that nan IRIS Dena, pinch 180 group connected board, was successful distress and sinking. The land federation sent ships and planes connected a rescue mission, he said.

Navy spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath said by nan clip navy ships reached nan location, location was nary motion of nan vessel successful distress and “there were only immoderate lipid patches and life rafts. We recovered group floating connected nan water.”

He said nan 32 group rescued were admitted to a infirmary successful Galle, a municipality connected Sri Lanka’s confederate coast. The bodies recovered were besides being brought to land, he said.

At nan National Hospital successful Galle, Iranian sailors’ bodies were arriving successful trucks and being stored successful a makeshift mortuary. The infirmary was guarded by Sri Lankan constabulary and naval personnel, arsenic workers unloaded bodies distant from view.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe, a apical wellness ministry official, said 1 of those rescued is successful captious condition, 7 are receiving emergency curen and others are being treated for insignificant injuries.

The IRIS Dena — 1 of Iran’s newest warships — patrolled successful heavy water, and was equipped pinch dense guns, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. It carried 1 helicopter.

The vessel had been sanctioned by nan U.S. Treasury Department successful February 2023, on pinch 8 executives of an Iranian drone shaper that supplied weapons to Russia for usage against civilian targets successful Ukraine.

At slightest 17 Iranian naval vessels person been sunk during nan ongoing war, said U.S. Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads nan American military’s Central Command.

Francis and Mallawarachi constitute for nan Associated Press. AP journalists Adam Schreck successful Bangkok, Jon Gambrell successful Duba; Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin successful Washington, contributed to this report.