It is understood that the crew have safely evacuated after the vessel caught fire under “unclear circumstances”.

The vessel was built by Swan Hunter in the United Kingdom and launched in 1977, she was delivered to Iran in 1984.

The Kharg was a modified Ol-class fleet replenishment oiler.

IRIS Kharg (431) rear by Hossein Zohrevand.jpg
How the vessel looked.

State news agency Fars said:

“The naval training support vessel, which was on a training mission in the high seas a few days ago, caught fire near the port of Jask. There were no casualties in this accident.”

The Kharg served as one of the few vessels in the Iranian navy capable of providing replenishment at sea for its other ships.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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David Steeper
2 years ago

Oh well good things happen to good people !

Robert Blay.
Robert Blay.
2 years ago

Hope all the crew are safe. This will be a big lose to the Iranian Navy.

Frank62
Frank62
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert Blay.

33 injured according to wiki.

Ian M.
Ian M.
2 years ago

Oops!

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 years ago

In a way sad to see a Brit built ship sunk, of a very familiar design!

julian1
julian1
2 years ago

that’s what I thought! Imagine if you had been one of the ship yard workers who built it and were reading this

Bloke down the pub
Bloke down the pub
2 years ago

Wonder if it was caused by a computer glitch?

Levi Goldsteinberg
Levi Goldsteinberg
2 years ago

No crew hurt so I don’t feel guilty for the smile on my face

Lusty
Lusty
2 years ago

Following the commissioning of IRINS Makran, I believe the Khrag was the second largest in the Iranian Navy.

I’ll still mourn the loss of a Swan Hunter ship. I hope the crew managed to evac safely.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

It looks very modified to the stern to provide the two hangars and the central exhaust stack also seems newish – seems strangely close to the helo ops – you don’t want wafts of very hot air under the rotors. Also CoG would seem to have increased.

It must have been pretty much life expired after 40 years in the water and 1970’s design standards and cabling don’t match up to current class rules.

Hope all got off safely.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago
Reply to  David

Fair point….I shouldn’t have assumed…..and my memory should be better……

To be fair, the contrast of the hangar against the curvy classic lines does look incongruous…..just like the hangars were dropped on…..

Anthony Thrift
Anthony Thrift
2 years ago

Was this the one that was supporting Iranian Special Forces?

farouk
farouk
2 years ago

I follow this feller on Twitter, ex Iranian airforce, living in the west who reports on most things military across the ME. He imparts a little more info regards the above:
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/1399858800023281666?s=20

Last edited 2 years ago by farouk
Ian Skinner
Ian Skinner
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

Very interesting, it seems that they were incapable of sending a vessel to help with the fire fighting; doesn’t say much about their competence.

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
2 years ago

Down by the stern and the hangar on fire.

Was she still being used as a tanker, the article says ‘replenishment’ at sea, so I assume she was. So an unexpected place for a tanker to catch fire as the fire appears to be quite high up on the superstructure. So what caused the ship to sink? I’m guessing some sort of explosion below decks which spread to the helicopter hangar?

Whatever, the cause the damage appears concentrated aft which might explain how the crew got off safely, if the reports are accurate, which I sincerely hope they are.

CR

Springer
Springer
2 years ago
Reply to  ChariotRider

From the picture it does look like the hull is broken, following the lines along the upperdeck you can see they don’t match up just forward of the hanger area, maybe some sort of explosion (are the engine spaces on these things all back aft?) or maybe the fire was so severe it’s melted the metalwork.

Springer
Springer
2 years ago

Oh dear, these were looking old when I was still in, so is it either poor preventative maintenance, some sort of system failure, or “something else” happened to it!

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

Looks like RFA Olna, same class? I honestly hope it was an ‘accident.’

AndyCee
AndyCee
2 years ago
Reply to  Rob

It’s design is based on the ex RFA Ol class vessels

Rob
Rob
2 years ago
Reply to  AndyCee

Thanks

Steve eddy
Steve eddy
2 years ago
Reply to  Rob

Not sure which one it was as
has been modified I was on the Olmeda in 1976

Lusty
Lusty
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve eddy

None of them – she was completed as a new build from Swan Hunter in 1977. The three RFA vessels went for scrap.

farouk
farouk
2 years ago

The Iranian military have a huge problem with H&S. only the other day it was reported that 2 pilots were killed when their ejector seats activated whilst inside a hanger. Last year we had the incident where a tug was hit by an anti-ship missile. Also last year that fake US aircraft carrier they like to practice on , decided to sink just outside a major port causing a huge shipping hazard, the other year their latest frigate Damavand sank after hitting a breakwater , loads more silly little incidents which have cost lives, but the one that stands out… Read more »

TrevorH
TrevorH
2 years ago
Reply to  farouk

As Lady Bracknell would say, “….

Jacko
Jacko
2 years ago

Dragon didn’t happen to be close was she?

Citizen
Citizen
2 years ago

You hate to see it.

Karl
Karl
2 years ago

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

OOA
OOA
2 years ago

Pity the 30mm on a River class couldn’t inflict that sort of damage if the need arose.

OK, OK, I know. I’ll get my coat.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 years ago
Reply to  OOA

😆

BB85
BB85
2 years ago

Was hoping there would be an article in response to tabloid gossip yesterday regarding ajax. Apparently soldiers haven’t been using it since November or something due to the noise and vibrations. WTF. I hope it was made up nonsense, although I do remember watching a video of one of the ares vehicles that was delivered and was shocked how loud it was just reversing off the back of the loader. I hope the enemy don’t have ears when our scout vehicles are nearby

Dan
Dan
2 years ago
Reply to  BB85

Sadly not made up. According to the defence analysts on social media, Ajax is not ready for service, and nobody knows when it will be, or even if it can be rescued at this point.

Airborne
Airborne
2 years ago

Hope all the crew are ok, however it does seem that the Iranian Navy, and military in general are pretty damn incompetent. No matter how great the reverse engineer 80s kit, no matter what the “top trumps” numbers game shows, it’s all about ability, professionalism and investment.

captain p wash
captain p wash
2 years ago
Reply to  Airborne

Yup….. but just don’t mention the HMS Cornwall thing mate…… so embarrassing truth be known …. 😥 

Captain P Wash
Captain P Wash
2 years ago

Actually this is false news….. It’s just the Admiral Kuznetsov testing her new Boilers and Well Deck……..  😕 

Crabfat
Crabfat
2 years ago
Reply to  Captain P Wash

Just wait for it… they’ll blame it on the ‘Great Satan’ (USA) or the ‘Little Satan’ (UK)…

Captain P Wash
Captain P Wash
2 years ago
Reply to  Crabfat

Well I guess that the “Little Satan” would have designed a built in IED at the time……….. Some type of Glue maybe ?  🤔 

Springer
Springer
2 years ago
Reply to  Captain P Wash

Actually you can see the tugs nearby so yes it’s definitely Kuznetsov!

Challenger
Challenger
2 years ago

Glad there appears to be no fatalities.

May be a stupid question but will her sinking be a huge loss to the Iranians? After all they operate a predominantly coastal navy so can’t need the sort of logistics away from port that globally deployed vessels do.

BB85
BB85
2 years ago
Reply to  Challenger

Maybe it resupplies a lot of fishing boats destined for Yemen.

captain p wash
captain p wash
2 years ago
Reply to  Challenger

Funny thing is, they were actually about to send a whole fleet of Ships to Venezuela ….. hmmmn funny that.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago
Reply to  captain p wash

Good info.

I hadn’t realised that.

Given the size, age and condition of most of their fleet a voyage of that kind would appear to be more than a little risky…..?

Dave Hodgson
Dave Hodgson
2 years ago

Remember seeing her up the river from Swan Hunters in 1981 when we were in dry dock. The Ark Royal was still being built and the Illustrious was fitting out so the Kharg has done well to out lasted them both.

Darren
Darren
2 years ago

She was built at the mighty High Walker yard of Vickers -Armstrong (huge building berths), then owned by Swan Hunter by which time had a huge shipbuilding ability on the Tyne and Tees.

JJ Smallpiece
JJ Smallpiece
2 years ago

Oh dear, how sad, never mind. More good news from Iran.

amin
amin
2 years ago

I am an Iranian. Most of our big tanks and warships for 40 years ago.
Our defense budget is very low.
Shipwrecks are a big loss for us. 😥