Iranian blue-on-blue naval incident leaves 19 dead
A friendly fire incident on 10 May involving two Iranian Navy vessels in the Gulf of Oman has left at least 19 sailors dead and 15 injured, according to state-run Iranian news agency IRNA.
Other news sources report that the Iranian Navy support ship Konarak was apparently hit by an anti-ship missile that was test-fired by the frigate Jamaran.
Iranian authorities have not confirmed how exactly the damage was inflicted, but the Iranian Navy is known to have previously purchased C-802 and C-201 anti-ship missiles from China.
An investigation has begun into the incident near the Iranian port of Jask but as yet there is no official confirmation of the extent of the damage to the ship. However, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB showed footage of extensive damage to the superstructure.
The injured sailors were taken to the Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences and Health Services hospital.
Konarak is a Hendijan-class support frigate which was manufactured in the Netherlands and bought by Iran before to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea]()
US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea
The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
-
![US Navy seeks suppliers for Landing Craft Utility 1700-class]()
US Navy seeks suppliers for Landing Craft Utility 1700-class
With ongoing market research to find potential shipyards for building LCUs, NAVSEA intends to issue a request for proposals for the programme next year.
-
![US Coast Guard orders 10 additional Fast Response Cutters]()
US Coast Guard orders 10 additional Fast Response Cutters
The USCG exercised a $507 million contract option for the acquisition of 10 extra FRCs. This new order will raise the total number of Sentinel-class vessels procured by the service from 67 to 77.
-
![DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology]()
DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
-
![Anduril Australia wins A$1.7 billion Ghost Shark XL-AUV contract]()
Anduril Australia wins A$1.7 billion Ghost Shark XL-AUV contract
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.
