Iran Restores Sahand Frigate That Sank Last Year

The Iranian Navy has received the restored Sahand frigate, which was accidentally sunk last year.

The Iranian DefaPress reports that the frigate was handed over along with the Kordestan floating base.

On July 6, 2024, the ship unexpectedly turned over to port and sank in the port of the 1st Naval Base in Bandar Abbas.

For 14 days, there were continuous attempts to salvage the frigate.

On July 9, during one of the failed recovery attempts, the military managed to raise the sinking Sahand from the seabed, but then accidentally sank it again — this time in deeper water.

Eventually, the frigate was lifted and moved to another location, but the cables holding the ship to the surface could not withstand the weight and broke.

At the time, the Sahand was one of Iran’s most modern frigates and was part of the country’s Southern Fleet, Mowj class.

It was launched in 2012 and commissioned in December 2018.

Before sinking, the Sahand was actively involved in operations in the Red Sea. The ship was suspected of supporting the Houthis during attacks on merchant ships.

After the restoration, the Sayyad-2/3 anti-aircraft guided missiles and Ghader/Ghadir anti-ship missiles were moved to the stern, and launchers for small missiles or drones were added.

The frigates of the Iranian Mowj project, to which Sahand belongs, have a bad reputation: three of the seven newest ships of this class were lost in non-combat conditions.

Talayieh’s peer vessel also overturned in a dry dock in Bender Abbas, and Damavand ran aground, after which it capsized and sank.