Iranian Navy Strikes Own Warship In Accidental Friendly Fire, At Least 1 Confirmed Dead

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On May 10^th, an Iranian Navy destroyer accidentally opened fire on one of its own warships.

Iran’s “Konarak” warship was mistakenly targeted by a missile fired by its “Jamaran” destroyer during a military drill in the Gulf of Oman.

بعدازظهر روز گذشته در حین انجام تمرین دریایی توسط تعدادی از شناورهای نیروی دریایی ارتش، شناور پشتیبانی سبک #کنارک دچار حادثه شد که تا کنون شهادت یک نفر محرز و تعدادی نیز مجروح شده‌اند. pic.twitter.com/auWyq0TNBi

— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) May 11, 2020

Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that at least 1 sailor had been killed and at least 28 were injured. 12 of them were hospitalized, 16 were discharged soon after being taken by ambulance to hospital.

However, Al Arabiya reported that the Iranian Navy had later admitted that at least 19 had been killed.

It also mentioned that initial rumours surrounding the incident claimed that as many as 40 sailors had been killed in the incident.

“The incident took place in the perimeter of Iran’s southern Jask port on the Gulf of Oman during Iranian Navy drills on Sunday. At least one person was killed and several were injured,” Iranian state tv reported.

“The vessel was hit after moving a practice target to its destination and not creating enough distance between itself and the target,” it added.

“The circumstances of the incident are currently undergoing technical examinations,” Iran’s student News Agency ISNA said.

The incident took place near the port Jask, about 1,270 kilometers (790 miles) southeast of Tehran in the Gulf of Oman.

State media reported that the Dutch-made Konarak had been overhauled in 2018. The 47-meter (155-foot) vessel could carry up to 40 tons, and usually carried a crew of 20 soldiers. The Jamaran destroyer has been on duty since 2010 and it is equipped with anti-ship missiles.

This looks no good. Prayers for #Iran.
C-802 Noor anti-ship missile hits Konarak.

C-802 though shows performance. pic.twitter.com/l6mvryAEur

— Farzana Shah (@Jana_Shah) May 10, 2020

The situation in the Persian Gulf has been strained, after US President Donald Trump told the US Navy to sink any Iranian warships that “harass” US warships, following an incident on April 16^th, in which Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy speed boats sailed close to a carrier strike group.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani then accused the US of “plotting against the Iranian nation every day” and urged the Iranian military to “stay vigilant.”

“I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American terrorist force in the [Arabian] Gulf that threatens security of Iran’s military or non-military ships,” added IRGC head Hossein Salami.