Iranian Naval Destroyer 'Sahand' Sinks During Repair

The Iranian naval destroyer Sahand sank while undergoing repairs near the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media. Water infiltration caused the vessel to lose balance at the wharf. Launched in December 2018, the destroyer features advanced weaponry and radar systems. Injured personnel have been hospitalized.

An Iranian naval destroyer, Sahand, has sunk while it was undergoing repairs in a port near the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on Sunday.

The state-run IRNA news agency stated that the Sahand, which was being repaired at a wharf, lost its balance due to water infiltrating its tanks.

The agency added that the shallow depth of the waters might allow efforts to rebalance the ship.

Injured personnel were transferred to a hospital, although no further details were provided.

Sahand, named after a mountain in northern Iran, took six years to build and was launched into the Persian Gulf in December 2018. The 1,300-ton vessel was equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft batteries, as well as sophisticated radar and radar-evading technology.

This incident follows the sinking of another Iranian naval destroyer, Damavand, in the Caspian Sea in January 2018 after it crashed into a breakwater.

(With inputs from agencies.)