Iran misfires, Navy training missile hits own ship, kills 19 sailors

Iran on Wednesday suffered monumental military training accident when an Iranian missile fired during a training exercise in the Gulf of Oman hit a support vessel adjacent to the target landing destination. The accidental missile killed 19 sailors, injuring 15 others on board the vessel.

The training was said to be held in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes; and where Iran regularly conducts the training exercises.

Iran’s Navy, the Konarak, was said to have acknowledged that a Hendijan-class support ship which was taking part in the exercise was too close to the target and was hit.

The Navy was said to have revealed that investigations are going on to find out what went wrong.