An Iranian frigate found sunk off southern Sri Lanka on Wednesday, March 4, has been identified as the same warship that took part in two major Indian Navy events in February. The vessel, IRIS Dena, had docked in India weeks earlier for the International Fleet Review 2026 and Exercise MILAN 2026, where it was formally welcomed by the Indian Navy alongside ships from several participating nations.

The frigate had been engaged in diplomatic naval activities in India before beginning its return journey west.

After completing the engagements, it set sail back towards Iran. It was scheduled to halt at Kochi for refuelling before continuing towards the Persian Gulf.

Around dawn on Wednesday, the ship issued a distress call while sailing about 40 kilometres south of Galle. Sri Lanka’s navy said a rescue vessel reached the area within an hour. By then, the frigate had completely sunk, leaving only an oil patch on the surface.

The cause of a reported explosion onboard remains unclear.

Rescue effort and questions in parliament

Sri Lankan authorities confirmed that 32 sailors were rescued and taken to the main hospital in the south. Officials said a few bodies have since been recovered from the area where the vessel went down. With 148 crew members still missing, fears are mounting that the toll could rise.

In Sri Lanka’s parliament, opposition lawmakers questioned whether the sinking could be linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The government did not directly respond to the speculation.

Authorities said they were not releasing footage of the rescue because it involved the military assets of another state. Sri Lanka has maintained neutrality amid tensions in the Middle East, while continuing search operations within its maritime rescue zone