Navy Fast Attack Craft sinks off Angulana after colliding with sunken merchant vessel; search for missing officer continues

A Sri Lanka Navy Fast Attack Craft (FAC) ran into distress and sank off Angulana on August 15, 2026. Eleven naval personnel were rescued from the distressed vessel and are reported to be in stable condition under medical care. Search operations were initiated for a missing naval officer following the incident.

The FAC, identified as a Super Dvora Mk III, collided with a sunken merchant vessel, the MV Thermopylae Sierra, which had sunk in August 2012 during a monsoon storm. The sunken ship was reportedly clearly demarcated. A salvage operation for the distressed naval craft was planned, with rough sea conditions expected.

Search operations for the missing naval officer continued for at least four consecutive days. The Navy has launched a special probe into the accident, appointing a board of inquiry to investigate the sinking of the craft.