Iran's Sunken Warship Rescue Fails in Fifth Mishap in Six Years

An Iranian home-built warship has completely sunk in its home port after a failed salvage operation this week, the country's state media reported on Tuesday, in another major blow to Iran's naval modernization efforts amid tensions in the Middle East.

On Sunday, Iran's state media reported an "accident" involving the Moudge-class frigate Sahand in the strategic Persian Gulf port of Bandar Abbas, on the country's southern coast facing the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

Photos later showed the Iran navy warship rolled over and partially submerged, with state media claiming at that time that the vessel in distress was being "rebalanced." However, a rope used to lift the ship broke during a salvage attempt the following day, resulting in the Sahand's sinking, according to the state-affiliated Nournews news agency.

An image circulating on social media, which Newsweek could not independently verify, showed the Sahand fully submerged with the exception of the bottom of its hull, on which several people were standing. A crane barge could be seen nearby.

Iran launched the Sahand in 2012 and commissioned it six years later. It is equipped with a naval gun, air defense and anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and is capable of supporting flight operations with a helicopter landing deck.

It was still unclear whether the incident had led to any deaths. The Sahand was under going repairs at a dock when it capsized, state media said, with several people hospitalized with unspecified injuries.

The mishap has cast doubt on whether the 12-year-old warship could ever return to service with the Iranian fleet.

Iran's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Newsweek email seeking comment.

The Sahand is one of Tehran's most modern indigenous warships, part of the country's growing domestic arms industry. Until the Islamic Revolution of 1979, it had purchased weapons from Western countries including the United States.

The Western sanctions have since greatly impacted Iran's military readiness. The country is not allowed to purchase spares for its pre-revolution era Western arms, which include around 40 F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, prompting its government to become more self-reliant.

The sinking of the Sahand was the fifth setback for Iran's navy since 2018, according to maritime security analyst H.I. Sutton.

In June 2021, the Iranian replenishment ship Kharg sank after a fire in the Gulf of Oman. And in December that year, the frigate Talayieh rolled over in a dry dock in Bandar Abbas. Iran's newest warship at that time had not yet entered service.

Another Moudge-class frigate, the Damavand, sank in the Caspian Sea in January 2018 after hitting a sea wall during stormy weather. In May 2020, the Konarak, a support vessel, was hit by a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors in a friendly fire incident.

The original Sahand was a British Alvand-class frigate. It was targeted and sunk in April 1988 by the U.S. Navy in retaliation for mine damage to the American frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts. 45 Iranian crew members were killed in the incident.