India has launched search and rescue operations after receiving a distress call from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena while it was operating in the search and rescue (SAR) region under Sri Lanka’s responsibility, the Indian Navy said on Thursday.
According to the Navy, the distress alert was received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Colombo in the early hours of March 4, 2026, after the vessel encountered trouble about 20 nautical miles west of Galle. The information was relayed by the Sri Lanka Navy.
Following the alert, the Indian Navy quickly launched rescue efforts. A long-range maritime patrol aircraft was deployed at around 10:00 am on March 4 to assist the search operations led by Sri Lankan authorities. Another aircraft equipped with air-droppable life rafts was also kept on standby for immediate deployment.
The Navy said INS Tarangini, which was operating nearby, was diverted to support the rescue mission and reached the search area by 4:00 pm on March 4. By that time, search and rescue operations had already been initiated by the Sri Lankan Navy and other agencies.
In addition, INS Ikshak sailed from Kochi to reinforce the ongoing efforts. The vessel continues to remain in the area to help locate missing personnel as part of a humanitarian response for those involved in the shipwreck.
The Indian Navy said coordination with Sri Lankan authorities on the rescue operation is continuing.
Reports indicate that the Iranian warship was returning from the MILAN naval exercise—a multilateral naval drill hosted by India—when it was reportedly sunk by the United States Navy in the Indian Ocean. The incident is believed to have resulted in the deaths of at least 80 sailors and comes amid escalating military operations by the United States and Israel targeting Iran.
