There is a Hamilton connection, however slight, to the sinking of the Iranian light frigate DENA on 4 March. DENA had been in Visakhapatnam in India for the International Naval Review 2026 from 15 to 25 February. One of the Indian ships involved was the sail training ship TARANGINI. After the sinking, TARANGINI responded to assist with search and rescue.
In 2003 and 2004, TARANGINI circumnavigated the world. One of her stops was Hamilton where she stayed for two weeks to get her hull sandblasted and painted at Heddle Marine, now Ontario Shipyards. TARANGINI and HMCS STAR held reciprocal receptions for each other. Some STAR officers ventured carefully up to the maintop while Indian Naval Cadets stood nonchalantly on the yards above us. The ship’s visit left a strong “brotherhood of the sea” feeling!
