19 sailors killed after Iran missile strikes own ship

At least 19 sailors have been killed and 15 wounded after an Iranian missile fired during a training exercise in the Gulf of Oman struck a support vessel near its target, Iran's army said.

The friendly fire incident happened on Sunday near the port of Jask, about 1,270 kilometres (790 miles) southeast of Tehran on the Gulf of Oman, a statement on the army's website said on Monday.

"On Sunday afternoon, during an exercise by a number of the navy's vessels in Jask and Chabahar waters, the Konarak light support vessel had an accident," said a statement on the army's website.

"The number of this accident's martyrs is 19 and 15 have also been injured," it added, saying the vessel had been towed ashore.

The missile struck the Konarak, a Hendijan-class support ship, which was taking part in the exercise.

State television described the incident as an accident, saying the Konarak, a Hendijan-class support ship which was struck by the missile, had been putting targets out in the water for other ships to fire on and had strayed too close to a target.



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