19 sailors killed and 15 others wounded in accident involving two Iranian naval vessels

The Iranian navy has said that nineteen sailors have been killed and 15 others wounded in a "friendly fire" incident involving two Iranian naval vessels.

Iranian state media reported that a new anti-ship missile being tested by the frigate Jamaran hit the light support ship Konarak in the Gulf of Oman.

The accident happened during a training exercise near the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran's armed forces regularly hold exercises.

"The vessel was hit after moving a practice target to its destination and not creating enough distance between itself and the target," local media reported.

'Jamaran' and 'Konarak' are said to belong to the naval forces of the Iranian military.