2024-07-09 19:36:23
The Iranian Navy frigate Sahand sank completely in the southern port of Bandar Abbas after an attempt to stabilize it failed. Despite rescue efforts, the ship finally sank after the rope keeping it afloat broke.
On Sunday, Iranian media reported that the Sahand capsized during repair work at the pier due to water entering the hull.
The ship was built in Iran and first launched in 2018. It is equipped with a flight deck for helicopters, torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, and electronic warfare systems.
The incident is the latest in a series of embarrassments for Iran’s naval industry, which has managed to build its own warships despite international sanctions and embargoes. The ships are part of a program to modernize its naval equipment that began before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
This is not the first major loss for the Iranian navy; in 2021, the frigate Kharg sank after a fire in the Gulf of Oman during a training mission, but there were no casualties. The Sahand incident raises questions about the health and sustainability of the Iranian navy amid ongoing restrictions on arms imports.
Earlier, Cursor wrote that Iran is seeking to open a new front against Israel on Syrian territory.