The US Army warned the sailor to abandon the warship before the attack on Iris Dena. The sailor called his father at the last moment.

News Topical, Digital Desk : The US Navy attacked the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4. The US submarine sank the Iranian warship.

According to a report by the Persian-language satellite TV channel and news network Iran International, a sailor on the IRIS Dena said the US military twice warned the crew to abandon the warship.

America had warned

The report quoted a source close to the sailor's family as saying that despite two warnings from the US, the commander of the IRIS Dena did not allow the crew to abandon ship.

According to the source cited in the report, the sailor's father said that some crew members had argued with the commander. He also stated that the 32 sailors who survived the attack were actually those who managed to escape in lifeboats after receiving warnings.

32 crew members survived

Iran's Foreign Minister Saeed Abbas Araghchi shared a post on the social media platform X, detailing the attack on the warship. The foreign minister stated, “There were 130 sailors on board the frigate. By the time the Sri Lankan Navy arrived at the scene after receiving a distress signal from the Iranian warship, they found that the frigate had sunk.”

The Foreign Minister further stated, “32 crew members were floating in lifeboats at sea. The Sri Lankan Navy rescued the 32 sailors and brought them to shore. Another Iranian Navy ship, the IRIS Bushehr, carrying 208 crew members, took refuge in the island nation.”

The US Embassy said this to Sri Lanka

According to a Reuters report, an internal US State Department cable said that US Embassy Charge d'Affaires in Colombo, Jane Howell, has requested Sri Lanka not to repatriate the 32 survivors of IRIS Dena as well as the 208 crew members of IRIS Bushehr, who are currently in Sri Lankan custody.

Read More: Won't sign any other legislation until Voter Act bill is passed: Trump