Three Australian military personnel were on board an American submarine that sank an Iranian navy ship off Sri Lanka this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday.
Speaking to Sky News, Albanese said: “I can confirm that there were three Australian personnel on board that vessel”.
The personnel were on board the submarine as part of training arrangements under Aukus, a multidecade defence pact with Britain and the United States, Albanese said.
“These are long-standing third country arrangements that have been in place for a long period of time,” he said.
“I can confirm also, though, that no Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran,” he added.
At least 84 sailors were killed in Wednesday’s torpedo attack on the IRIS Dena – the first military strike far outside the Middle East region since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran.
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