TEHRAN: An Iranian naval destroyer, the Sahand, has sunk during repair work at a port near the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on Sunday.
The state-run IRNA news agency reported that the incident occurred when the Sahand, which was stationed at a wharf for maintenance, lost balance due to water infiltration into its compartments.
IRNA noted that the shallow depth of the waters near the port may allow for efforts to stabilize and potentially salvage the destroyer.
The news agency reported that injured personnel had been transferred to a hospital without providing further elaboration.
The Sahand destroyer, named after a mountain in northern Iran, was a significant addition to Iran’s naval fleet. The vessel, weighing 1,300 tons, was equipped with advanced weaponry including surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft batteries, and sophisticated radar systems designed for evading detection.
This incident is not the first involving Iranian naval vessels. In January 2018, another destroyer named Damavand sank in the Caspian Sea after colliding with a breakwater during adverse weather conditions.
