A missile accidentally hit an Iranian warship during naval exercises, killing 19 sailors, according to official media and the Iranian army yesterday.
The accident, which occurred on the ship "Kanark", took place the day before yesterday, near Bandar Jask, off the coast of southern Iran, according to the official TV reported on its website.
The channel reported that "the ship was hit after it moved a training target to its designated location without leaving enough distance between it and the target."
In turn, the Iranian armed forces announced in a statement that 19 crew members had been killed and 15 wounded.
She stated that "Kanark" was subjected to an "accident" during the exercises, without providing any further details.
She added that the ship was towed to shore for "technical investigations", calling on people to "avoid speculation" until new information is released.
"Tasnim" agency reported in a tweet in English that "Kanark" was struck by a missile fired by another Iranian warship.
She said that the ship came under "friendly fire after a frigate Jamaran accidentally fired a missile during live fire training in the Jask region."
Muhammad Mahran Aminfard, the director of the University of Medicine in Sistan and Baluchistan, said that the 15 wounded had been transferred to a hospital in the province.
He told semi-official ISNA news agency that two sailors had been transferred to the intensive care unit.
In two separate statements, the Iranian army chief and the foreign minister offered condolences to the families of the sailors.
It is reported that "Kanark" is a light logistical support ship manufactured in the Netherlands and purchased by Iran before 1979.