The Indian Navy on Thursday said it promptly launched search and rescue efforts on receiving information from Sri Lanka about the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, The Tribune reported.

The Iranian warship was struck by a United States torpedo off the coast of Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Indian ship INS Tarangini arrived in the search area around the Iranian frigate at 4 pm on Wednesday, the Navy said. Another Indian vessel, the INS Ikshak, has sailed from Kochi to support rescue efforts, and remains in the area to search for missing personnel, it added, according to The Tribune.

The Indian Navy cited the Sri Lankan authorities as saying that a distress call was received at Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre in Colombo in the early hours of March 4. It said that on receiving the information, the Indian Navy “promptly launched SAR [search and rescue] efforts commencing with a long-range maritime patrol aircraft” at 10 am on Wednesday to augment Sri Lanka’s efforts.

Another aircraft, which was equipped with air-droppable life rafts, was also placed on standby, The Tribune quoted the Navy as saying.

The INS Tarangini, which was in the vicinity, was then deployed for rescue efforts, by which time the Sri Lankan authorities had begun their operations, the Navy was quoted as saying.

The attack on the IRIS Dena has left at least 87 dead, while 61 are missing. It took place amid a joint operation by the United States and Israel against the Iranian government.

Tel Aviv and Washington have claimed that Tehran’s actions pose an “existential threat” to Israel. While Tel Aviv has claimed that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.