87 Dead, 61 Still Missing: US Submarine Torpedoes Iran's Prized Warship Right Off Sri Lanka's Shore

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Oil, Life Rafts, and 87 Bodies — The Day America Sent Iran's Prized Warship to the Ocean Floor

Nobody expected Wednesday morning to end like this.

Sri Lanka's navy picked up a distress call and headed out to help. When their ships arrived at the scene — roughly 40 kilometres off the southern coast near Galle — there was no warship to save. Just a dark oil slick, a few empty life rafts, and Iranian sailors scattered across the surface of the Indian Ocean.

The IRIS Dena was already gone.

One Torpedo. One Ship. History Made.

A single torpedo fired from a US submarine was all it took. The IRIS Dena — one of Iran's most powerful and modern warships — sank in international waters without warning.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stepped in front of cameras at the Pentagon and confirmed what the world was already trying to process. He called it "quiet death" and reminded everyone that this was the first time America had sunk an enemy warship with a torpedo since the Second World War. A Mark 48 torpedo was used. One shot. No second chance.

The Pentagon even released footage of the moment — an underwater explosion, a massive column of water, and then nothing.

Iran's Crown Jewel, Gone

The IRIS Dena was not just any ship. It was a Moudge-class deep-water frigate — loaded with missiles, torpedoes, heavy guns, and its own helicopter. Iran was proud of it. The ship had toured international ports just a few years ago, docking in South Africa and Brazil as a symbol of Iranian naval strength.

On Wednesday morning, it sat at the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka Pulls Bodies From the Water

With 180 crew members on board when the torpedo hit, the human cost was severe. Sri Lanka's navy recovered 87 bodies and pulled 32 survivors out of the sea. Sixty-one sailors are still missing, and search operations continue.

Survivors and the deceased were brought to Galle, where a temporary mortuary was set up at Karapitiya Hospital. One survivor remains in critical condition.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister addressed Parliament directly, making clear his country had one job — respond to a distress call and save lives. Nothing more, nothing less.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What happened to the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka?
Answer - US submarine fired a torpedo and sank Iran's warship IRIS Dena in international waters near Sri Lanka's southern coast. The ship carried 180 crew members. Sri Lanka's navy recovered 87 bodies, rescued 32 survivors, and 61 sailors are still missing.