The Iranian army said at least 104 people were killed and 32 wounded after what it described as a U.S. attack that sunk the frigate Dena off Sri Lanka. The ship was reportedly struck about 19 nautical miles off Galle on Wednesday, killing dozens of sailors. The claim was reported by Reuters and has not been independently verified, and there was no immediate comment from U.S. authorities.
Iranian Army Says U.S. Submarine Sank Frigate Dena, Killing At Least 104 Off Sri Lanka
FILE PHOTO: A Sri Lanka Navy vessel approaches an Iranian vessel during a rescue operation, a day after the crew of a distressed Iranian military ship, IRIS Dena were assisted in waters south of Sri Lanka, off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka March 5, 2026. Sri Lanka Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
The Iranian army said on Sunday that at least 104 people were killed and 32 wounded after a U.S. attack on an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka last week. The statement identified the vessel as the frigate Dena.
According to the Iranian account, a U.S. submarine sank the Dena in the Indian Ocean about 19 nautical miles off the southern Sri Lankan port city of Galle on Wednesday, killing dozens of sailors and marking a significant escalation in operations directed at Iran's navy.
These claims were reported by Reuters on March 8. There is no independent confirmation of the incident and no immediate public comment from U.S. officials was available at the time of reporting.
(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Elwely Elwely; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Help us improve.
