Canberra, March 6 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that three Royal Australian Navy members were aboard a United States fast-attack submarine that struck and sank an Iranian naval vessel earlier this week, ABC News reported. Albanese said the Australian personnel did not take part in the strike and that they did not “participate in any offensive action” against Iran.
The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was sunk in waters off Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan officials reported that 87 bodies have been recovered and 32 people rescued. Although the United States has not officially named the submarine, analysts have suggested it was the USS Minnesota, a Virginia-class boat that has previously rotated through HMAS Stirling near Perth.
Under the AUKUS agreement, Australian service members have been embedded with US fast-attack submarine crews based at Pearl Harbor to gain experience before Australia fields its own nuclear-powered submarines. Initially, Australian authorities were cautious about confirming whether nationals were aboard the attacking vessel, but Albanese told Sky News he could confirm three Australians were present, citing National Security Committee briefings.
The Prime Minister stressed that longstanding third-country arrangements require Australian defence personnel embedded in allied assets to operate under Australian law and policy. Defence officials have previously told parliamentary hearings that “more than 50” ADF members are serving on American fast-attack submarines and that the number is expected to increase. ABC News noted that roughly one in ten crew members on active US nuclear-powered attack submarines are Australian. Civilian personnel are also being trained in nuclear submarine maintenance to support Australia’s future capabilities.
Following the sinking, Sri Lanka provided refuge to another Iranian ship, the replenishment vessel IRINS Bushehr, which was moved to Trincomalee while 208 crew members were taken to a naval facility near Colombo. (ANI)
