Memorable moments of Iranian ship crew in India fades

Visakhapatnam, Mar 5 (PTI) Little did many crew members of Iranian warship Dena know that they would not be able to cherish the sweet memories they experienced in Visakhapatnam only few days ago. Be it the long walks in Rushikonda Beach or the visit to the salubrious Kailasagiri hills, the Iranian crew members had a good time in India.

The sailors spent cheerful days in Visakhapatnam during the multinational naval exercise MILAN 2026, interacting with residents here and exploring the coastal city's popular landmarks.

During their stay between February 15 and 25, the sailors also participated in cultural tours organised under the Incredible India programme.

Some of them travelled to Agra to explore the majestic Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and other historical destinations, experiencing India's heritage beyond the naval engagements and professional interactions.

Videos and photographs of the sailors smiling, walking along beaches and interacting with people in the city were widely shared on social media.

"They (Iranians) were friendly young sailors, taking selfies with locals and enjoying the hospitality of Vizag," Sohan Hatangadi, a resident who interacted with them during the visit recalled.

They also visited the war memorial, the submarine museum and other locations here.

Some Iranian sailors also visited Sankalp Art Village on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam and spent time at the MILAN pavilion, where they were seen having tea and snacks while interacting with naval personnel and visitors.

Several sailors were also seen shopping for traditional Indian textiles, locals recalled.

The warship IRIS Dena is a Moudge-class frigate and had nearly 180 crew members on board.

According to a defence official, the Iranian naval delegation included Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, and Abuzar Zarri, the commanding officer of IRIS Dena.

"During the MILAN 2026 exercise, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, interacted with Rear Admiral Shahram Irani as part of engagements among participating navies," the official told PTI.

The interaction between Tripathi and Shahram Irani, also highlighted continued engagement under the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) framework, including cooperation through its working groups and the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX), aimed at strengthening collective maritime security, he said.

MILAN 2026 brought together several navies from across the world in the Bay of Bengal for professional cooperation and maritime security exercises, the official said.

However, their return journey ended in tragedy. A US submarine on Wednesday torpedoed and sank the Iranian warship in international waters off Sri Lanka's coast when it was returning after participating in the Milan naval exercise, killing several sailors in the high seas. PTI MS GDK VGN KH