87 Bodies of Iranian Frigate Crew Found After US Air Strikes

The Sri Lankan Navy reports the discovery of dozens of bodies from an Iranian frigate that sank in international waters after a United States air strike. By the time of reporting, 87 bodies had been recovered from the open sea.

The evacuation was dramatic. Sri Lanka Navy Commander Buddhika Sampath said that when rescue teams reached the coordinates, the warship was no longer visible on the surface. “We only found an oil slick and a lifeboat. We also found people floating on the water,” Sampath said in an official statement.

According to data presented to Parliament by the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, the frigate was believed to have around 180 crew at the time of the incident. So far, 32 people have been rescued and are receiving intensive care in hospital. While searches continue, the gap between the number of crew and bodies found suggests the death toll is likely to rise.

The sinking of the warship marks one of the bloodiest confrontations since the US-Israel attack on Iran. Identification of the bodies is ongoing, alongside efforts to transfer victims to land for medical procedures.