Sri Lanka launched a major rescue operation after the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena sent a distress call while sinking off its coast. Reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse said a suspected submarine attack caused the emergency. The vessel carried around 180 crew members and went down just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.
The Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force immediately deployed ships and aircraft to evacuate the crew. More than 100 sailors went missing, and at least 78 suffered injuries. Rescue teams rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that authorities were moving injured sailors to a hospital in southern Sri Lanka. The main hospital in Galle, about 115 kilometres from the capital, prepared to receive the evacuated crew. Officials confirmed that doctors had already admitted around 30 to 32 injured sailors.
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Rescue mission launched after suspected submarine strike off Sri Lanka’s coa
Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said rescue teams were operating about 40 nautical miles off Galle. Navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath stated that Sri Lanka acted under its international maritime obligations. He said the incident occurred within the country’s designated Search and Rescue area in the Indian Ocean.
The attack came amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz and warned vessels about possible risks. US President Donald Trump said the United States Navy stands ready to escort oil tankers through the crucial shipping route.
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