Headlines
Three australians were aboard US submarine that sunk iranian ship, PM albanese says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 6, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 6, 2026
Quick Summary
Three Australian defence personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine that torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off Sri Lanka; Prime Minister Albanese emphasized they did not participate in the strike, which marked the first time a U.S. submarine sank an enemy vessel by torpedo since World War
Three Australians were aboard US submarine that sank Iranian ship, PM Albanese says
Australian Involvement in US Submarine Incident
(Fixes typo in headline)
Prime Minister Albanese's Statement
SYDNEY, March 6 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that three Australian defence personnel were on board a United States submarine that sank an Iranian warship with a torpedo in the Indian Ocean, but stressed they did not take part in the attack.
Details of the Strike
The strike, which occured off the southern coast of Sri Lanka this week, marked the first time since World War Two that the United States has sunk an enemy vessel with a torpedo. Sri Lankan authorities recovered the bodies of 87 sailors.
Key Points from Albanese's Interview
- Albanese told Sky News the Australians were on board as part of training linked to the AUKUS defence pact between Australia, the U.S. and Britain, designed to help Australia acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines.
- No Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran, Albanese said.
- "These are long-standing third country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time," Albanese said.
- Australia, a close U.S. ally, has ruled out any military role in the conflict, but has said it would support efforts aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
- The conflict in the Middle East escalated on Thursday, with U.S. and Israeli jets hitting multiple areas across Iran, while Gulf cities came under renewed bombardment.
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
Key Takeaways
- •Three Australians were on the U.S. submarine during the IRIS Dena torpedo strike but did not engage in offensive action, Albanese confirmed.
- •The strike occurred March 4, 2026, approximately 40 nautical miles south of Galle, Sri Lanka, and resulted in at least 87 fatalities; it was the first such U.S. submarine torpedo kill since WWII.
- •The Australians’ presence stems from longstanding AUKUS training arrangements, underscoring embedded training under the tripartite defence pact.
Frequently Asked Questions about Three Australians were aboard US submarine that sunk Iranian ship, PM Albanese says
1Were Australian personnel involved in the attack on the Iranian warship?
No, Australian defence personnel aboard the US submarine did not take part in the attack, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
2Why were Australians on board the US submarine?
They were on board as part of training linked to the AUKUS defence pact between Australia, the US, and Britain.
3Where did the US submarine sink the Iranian ship?
The incident occurred in the Indian Ocean, off the southern coast of Sri Lanka.
4Has Australia taken a military role in the conflict with Iran?
Australia has ruled out any military role in the conflict, but supports efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
