In a dramatic rescue operation off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 32 individuals have been saved from a sinking Iranian naval vessel and taken to a local hospital, according to a high-ranking Sri Lankan official.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe, a senior figure in the health ministry, reported that one person is in critical condition, seven are undergoing emergency care, and the remainder are being treated for minor injuries.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Vijitha Herath, informed Parliament that the nation’s navy was alerted to the distress of the ship IRIS Dena, which had 180 people onboard. In response, Sri Lanka dispatched both naval ships and air force planes to assist in the rescue effort.

As of now, specific details about the cause of the sailors’ injuries or the ship’s damage remain unclear.

The IRIS Dena is recognized as one of the newest warships in Iran’s naval fleet.

This frigate was notably the flagship of a two-ship international cruise in 2023, making stops in several countries, including South Africa and Brazil.

It was accompanied by the support ship IRIS Makran, a converted oil tanker.

The US Treasury Department included both ships on a sanctions designation in February 2023 along with eight executives of an Iranian drone manufacturer that supplied the weapons to Russia for use against civilian targets in Ukraine.