After the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena went down in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy didn’t waste any time. They jumped into action, sending out patrol planes and two ships to help with the rescue, as per the official Indian Navy statement.
Indian Navy Steps In With Humanitarian Mission
It all started when a distress call from the IRIS Dena reached the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo early on March 4. The Sri Lankan Navy reported it. At that point, the ship was about 20 nautical miles west of Galle, right in the area where Sri Lanka takes charge of search and rescue missions.
IRIS Dena Incident: INS Ikshak Joins Search Operation In Indian Ocean
The Indian Navy got moving fast. At 10 a.m. on March 4, they launched a long-range patrol aircraft to back up Sri Lanka’s efforts. Another plane, loaded with air-droppable life rafts, was standing by, ready to go if needed.
INS Tarangini was already nearby, so they sent it straight to the scene. The ship reached the search area by 4 p.m. that same day, joining the Sri Lankan Navy and other teams already working on the rescue.
Meanwhile, INS Ikshak left Kochi to help out, and it’s still out there, searching for missing crew members. The Navy called this a “humanitarian measure for shipwrecked personnel.” Indian and Sri Lankan teams are still working together on the search and rescue.
US attacked IRIS Dena
On the American side, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth confirmed that the US attacked the IRIS Dena, calling the sinking a “huge win” for Washington.
“America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy. Under the direct command of President Trump, the War Department unleashed this operation,” Hegseth said. He also said the US would make sure to succeed alongside Israel in their joint mission.
The IRIS Dena was heading back from a naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, India, when it got hit, about 2,000 nautical miles from Iran. Around 87 sailors lost their lives. Sri Lanka managed to rescue 32 survivors, but several others are still missing and feared dead.
