An Iranian naval destroyer has sunk while being repaired in a port near the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on Sunday. The state-run IRNA news agency reported that the Sahand destroyer, undergoing repairs at a wharf, lost its balance due to water infiltration into the tanks. The agency added that due to the low depth of the waters, it is possible to bring back the destroyer to balance. It also reported that injured people were transferred to hospital, but did not provide further details.
The 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, and sophisticated radar and radar-evading capabilities.
This incident comes after another naval destroyer, the Damavand, sank in the Caspian Sea in January 2018 after crashing into a breakwater. The sinking of the Sahand highlights the vulnerability of Iranian naval vessels and underscores the challenges the country faces in maintaining its maritime capabilities.
