The Indian Navy has confirmed that it had launched an extensive humanitarian search and rescue (SAR) operation to assist the Sri Lankan Navy following the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday. The Iranian vessel, which had recently participated in major multilateral naval exercises in India, was torpedoed by a United States Navy submarine approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle.

Following a distress call received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo in the early hours of March 4, the Indian Navy promptly mobilized its assets to augment search efforts led by Sri Lankan authorities.

In a statement, the Navy said: "On receipt of the information, the Indian Navy promptly launched its SAR efforts commencing with a long-range maritime patrol aircraft at 1000 hours on March 4 to augment the search efforts led by Sri Lanka. Another aircraft with air droppable life rafts was also kept standby for immediate deployment. INS Tarangini, which was operating in vicinity was deployed for aiding the rescue efforts and arrived in search area by 1600 hours on March 4. By this time, the SAR had been undertaken by Sri Lankan Navy and other agencies. Survey vessel INS Ikshak has sailed from Kochi to join the mission as a humanitarian measure, specifically focused on locating missing personnel from the shipwreck'

The IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class frigate, issued its distress signal at approximately 05:08 am reporting an explosion. By the time first responders reached the site, the vessel had already sunk, leaving only an oil slick and floating life rafts on the surface.

The ship was reportedly carrying approximately 180 personnel. Sri Lankan military rescuers have recovered 87 bodies, while 32 sailors have been rescued and transported to the Galle National Hospital and Karapitiya Teaching Hospital for treatment.

An estimated 61 crew members remain unaccounted for as search operations continue in the demarcated zone.

The sinking occurred in international waters as the IRIS Dena was returning home from Visakhapatnam, where it had been a "guest of India's Navy" during the MILAN 2026 multilateral exercise and the International Fleet Review.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the attack, describing it as a "quiet death" and noting it was the first time an American submarine has sunk an enemy vessel with a torpedo since World War II. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike, stating that the US would "bitterly regret the precedent it has set".

While New Delhi has not officially commented on the military strike, the Indian Navy's ongoing coordination with Sri Lankan authorities remains focused on the humanitarian necessity of finding survivors among the shipwrecked personnel.