Sri Lanka Rescues 30 From Sinking Iranian Naval Ship

COLOMBO (News 1st); Thirty individuals from the Iranian Navy vessel Iris Dana were rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy after the ship met with an accident in international waters, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath announced.

Speaking in Parliament, the Minister said the vessel encountered distress near the international maritime boundary close to Galle. He confirmed that 180 personnel had been aboard at the time of the incident.

Emergency medical teams responded rapidly, with ambulances rushing to the Galle Naval Command to transfer the rescued crew members for treatment.

Minister Herath detailed the sequence of events, stating that Sri Lanka’s Navy and Coast Guard received the distress message at around 5.08 a.m. The vessel was identified as Iris Dana, belonging to the Iranian Navy.

“By 6.00 a.m., we intervened and deployed the first naval craft. By 7.00 a.m., another vessel was sent. Both the Air Force and Navy took part in the rescue,” he said.

He noted that around 30 individuals were in critical danger, and they were immediately transported to the Karapitiya Hospital. Several had already arrived by the time of his statement. Herath emphasized that Sri Lanka is obligated under the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, which the country has ratified.

“We are bound to intervene beyond our maritime boundaries if any vessel, regardless of nationality or cause, faces danger. It is our responsibility and humanitarian duty,” he said.

Iran’s naval vessel Dena had been docked at the Indian port of Visakhapatnam to participate in an international naval drill, as senior naval commanders from Tehran and New Delhi held discussions on strengthening maritime security cooperation. The visit took place in the last week of February.