Iran Fires On And Sinks Its Own Warship

[tdracer]

Oops:An Iranian destroyer has reportedly opened fire on one of its own warships by accident, causing 'dozens of casualties'.

The friendly fire reportedly sank one of Iran (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/iran/index.html)'s own warships in the Sea of Oman.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8305891/Iranian-destroyer-accidentally-opens-fire-one-warships.html

[lancs]

... and from a source that doesn't block you for having an ad-blocker!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-52612511

[Jimbo2Papa]

All rather unfortunate, it appears the rocket locked on to the IRGC auxiliary ship 'Konarak' that had towed the target to the area and hadn't got clear of it in time.
The January IRGC 'mistake' comes instantly to mind.

[Imagegear]

I am sure this would have been a publicity stunt to show the Gringo's that "we can take them out in our back yard". I wonder if something was around to film the "action"? otherwise it could have been spun as hostile action

Unfortunately it just shows how "out of control" the IRGC have become in recent years.

IG

[Jimbo2Papa]

...and within the last few minutes the BBC have done a "ninja edit" on that piece linked to above to remove all references to the IRGC.
A single line at the bottom of the article now reports the two vessels were said to belong to the naval forces of the Iranian Army.

So someone's been on the phone to them - perhaps from a near by embassy - pretty smartish.

[Pugilistic Animus]

Could it have been just a grand display of Muppetry?

[Jimbo2Papa]

More a display of brutish, arrogant incompetence with fatalities involved both now and back in January.

[skydiver69]

...and within the last few minutes the BBC have done a "ninja edit" on that piece linked to above to remove all references to the IRGC.
A single line at the bottom of the article now reports the two vessels were said to belong to the naval forces of the Iranian Army.

So someone's been on the phone to them - perhaps from a near by embassy - pretty smartish.
I saw the story on another forum so I was able to copy the original text,

An Iranian navy "friendly fire" incident in which a ship was sunk has killed dozens of sailors, unofficial reports say.

Local journalists said the frigate Jamaran was testing a new anti-ship missile which locked onto and hit Konarak, a logistical ship.

Semi-official Iranian news agency Fars said one sailor was killed and several others injured in a naval exercise.

It described the incident on Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz as a "crash".

Who are Iran's Revolutionary Guards? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-47852262)

According to the unofficial reports, Jamaran - operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) - fired the missile prematurely before Konarak had time to sail away from a floating target it had towed to a designated position.

Videos posted on social media show injured sailors being transferred to ambulances.

In January, the IRGC mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane near Tehran, killing all 176 people on board, at a time of heightened tension with the US.

[air pig]

...and within the last few minutes the BBC have done a "ninja edit" on that piece linked to above to remove all references to the IRGC.
A single line at the bottom of the article now reports the two vessels were said to belong to the naval forces of the Iranian Army.

So someone's been on the phone to them - perhaps from a near by embassy - pretty smartish.

Or the Labour Party more like.

[NutLoose]

Could it have been just a grand display of Muppetry?


Let's not forget HMS Trinidad, torpedoed itself due to a faulty Gyro and killed 32 of its own company, sadly accidents can happen. We;ve had them, the US has too...

[jolihokistix]

Not sunk. According to various sources, e.g.
https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/11/iranian-navy-ship-hit-by-missile-in-fatal-friendly-fire-incident-in-gulf

[esscee]

From his new position on the back benches, comrade Corbyn "asks" for report to be clarified. Not true but what a "headline" that would be if it was. Remember this is a "rumour" network!

[Jimbo2Papa]

Let's not forget HMS Trinidad, torpedoed itself due to a faulty Gyro and killed 32 of its own company, sadly accidents can happen. We;ve had them, the US has too...

...in 1942...

[Union Jack]

Let's not forget HMS Trinidad, torpedoed itself due to a faulty Gyro and killed 32 of its own company, sadly accidents can happen. We;ve had them, the US has too...

....perhaps most notably the USS TANG, the BALAO Class submarine which held the record of sinking more Japanese ships than any other USN submarine. On her fifth and final patrol she was sunk during a surface night attack by her own twenty-fourth, and last, torpedo, a Mark 18 which after broaching, turned back and sank her. Worth a look at the full account at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Tang_(SS-306) for those who are interested, especially in respect of the aftermath of the sinking, and for the record of her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander (later Rear Admiral) Richard O"Kane, who was awarded the Medal of Honour, three Navy Crosses, and three Silver Stars.

Jack

[tdracer]

Minor thread drift, but if you're interested in WWII sub warfare, Richard O'Kane wrote two excellent books recounting his experiences - "Clear the Bridge" and "Wahoo" (O'Kane was second in command to Mush Morton on the Wahoo - transferred off just prior to the Wahoo's last, fatal patrol).
Circular torpedo runs were a constant threat during WWII - sinking other subs in addition to the Tang and the Trinidad. Not quite the same as firing a missile at your sister ship...

[Always a Sapper]

The missile they hit it with can't be that good when you look at the photo's considering the Konarak is only 50.8 metres in length with a displacement of 660 tons wouldn't you have expected any decent anti-ship missile to have sunk it rather than just clear off the superstructure off the deck?

[Marcantilan]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1920x1080/https_api_thedrive_com_wp_content_uploads_2020_05_234235253_ b9e9c8868918d581e4d266bac6681abe81b08240.jpg
Yep, it looks like the missile hit well above the waterline and without any big punch

[Matt48]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1920x1080/https_api_thedrive_com_wp_content_uploads_2020_05_234235253_ b9e9c8868918d581e4d266bac6681abe81b08240.jpg
Yep, it looks like the missile hit well above the waterline and without any big punch
Airburst. ?

[West Coast]

May not have sunk it, but it took it out of the fight.

[megan]

A before photo


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/600x400/konarak_whole_19acb1e855f712470080912b219e4ff170d68689.jpg

[DuncanDoenitz]

Training round, inert warhead?

[tdracer]

Training round, inert warhead?
Possible... I vaguely recall a test of US anti-ship cruise missile about 40 years ago (Harpoon?). They were using an old, out of commission frigate as the target. The cruise missile hit with such force that the combination of the kinetic energy and residual jet fuel caused so much damage that the target ship sank - which wasn't supposed to happen.

[jolihokistix]

Only a few rusty dings in the 'official' photo, and some plywood structure that has fallen over.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/article_page/public/images-story/000_1rc54i.jpg?itok=LWw5awtq

[Imagegear]

How many more crew would this vessel carry normally than the 19 killed, was it being used as an observation platform by senior officers?

19 seems a lot to me, and how many may have been civvies/politico's? Seems like the deck must have been crowded.

IG

[Fareastdriver]

Maybe they were clearing out a few bottlenecks in the promotion ladder?

[jolihokistix]

Said to be the Noor: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a32438012/iranian-anti-ship-missile-friendly-fire-accident/

PS Ignore the 'sink/sank' bit.

[Imagegear]

So it was carrying at least 34 not including any that were uninjured.

Looking at it, that's still a lot of people.

IG

[jolihokistix]

Spectators, top brass even?