From beach selfies to sea grave: Final days of ill-fated Iran Navy ship IRIS Dena crew in India

Days before they were killed in a US submarine strike off the Sri Lankan coast, Iranian sailors aboard the ill-fated naval ship IRIS Dena were posing for selfies on an Indian beach, unaware of the tragedy that awaited them.

At least 87 sailors from the frigate reportedly died on Sunday after the vessel was hit during the escalating conflict between the US and Iran, with several others still missing.

The IRIS Dena had earlier participated in a multinational naval exercise hosted by India in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25. According to Sri Lankan officials and details from the exercise website, the ship was on its return journey when the strike occurred. Sri Lankan military rescuers responded to a distress call early Wednesday and managed to rescue 32 survivors. Sri Lanka initially denied reports of a strike before later confirming the attack.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had inaugurated the naval drill, Exercise Milan, on February 19. Apart from “friendly foreign navies”, maritime patrol aircraft from France, Germany and the United States also took part in the exercise.

Selfies, sightseeing and warm welcome

Just days earlier, the Iranian sailors had spent time in Visakhapatnam after disembarking between February 13 and 15. They visited popular sites in the city, including the Kailasagiri hilltop at Rushikonda, the Victory at Sea War Memorial, the submarine museum and Sankalp Art Village on the outskirts of Vizag.

The sailors were also seen marching along RK Beach Road during a parade on February 19 that drew thousands of spectators. A local hotel owner who witnessed the event recalled seeing the Iranian contingent taking photographs along the beach.

“They posed for selfies and took photos of the beach,” said Suresh K., owner of the Beach View Holiday Home hotel. “As a hotelier, I always hope that whoever visits beautiful Vizag returns home safely.”

According to a press note from the Visakhapatnam defence establishment, the sailors also travelled to Agra and Bihar, where they visited the Taj Mahal and the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya.

“They experienced the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the profound sanctity of the Mahabodhi temple where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment,” the note said.

Officials said there were also cross-deck visits between Indian Navy personnel and the Iranian crew during the exercise, allowing young officers to interact and exchange experiences. One Navy officer described the sailors as a jovial group in their twenties who were “awed by the warm welcome they received”.

Search and rescue operations underway

The Indian Navy said the Iranian vessel had been operating about 20 nautical miles west of Galle in Sri Lanka’s search and rescue region when it issued the distress call.

Following the alert, India deployed a long-range maritime patrol aircraft on March 4 to assist the rescue effort led by the Sri Lankan Navy. INS Tarangini, which was operating nearby, was also sent to the search area, while another aircraft equipped with air-droppable life rafts was kept on standby.

The Navy said INS Ikshak has also sailed from Kochi to support the ongoing search operation, which continues in coordination with Sri Lankan authorities to locate missing crew members and assist survivors.