Sri Lanka has begun evacuating the 208 crew members of a second Iranian naval vessel located near its coast, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced on Thursday. The move comes a day after a US submarine strike on the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the same region killed at least 87 sailors.
The approach of the second Iranian warship towards Sri Lankan waters had raised concerns that it might also be targeted by the United States. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the vessel was positioned just outside Colombo’s territorial waters. Earlier reports indicated that Iran had requested Sri Lanka to allow the ship to enter its waters for safety reasons.
President Dissanayake held discussions with senior officials regarding the request. After the meeting, he said Sri Lanka decided to evacuate the crew and move them to Trincomalee Harbour on the country’s northeastern coast. He also urged all sides to prioritise peace, stating that Sri Lanka was acting in accordance with international conventions and established practices.
The sailors on board the second vessel feared their ship could suffer the same fate as the IRIS Dena, which was sunk by a torpedo fired from a US submarine off the Sri Lankan coast on Wednesday. The frigate had been returning to Iran after taking part in two naval exercises organised by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Sri Lanka has so far maintained a neutral stance in the Iran conflict, calling only for restraint and immediate de-escalation. Authorities are also preparing to return the remains of the 87 Iranian sailors who died in the attack. Around 32 personnel have been rescued, while search efforts for additional survivors are ongoing. Doctors treating the rescued sailors said most had minor injuries, though some suffered fractures and burns.
The incident has heightened tensions in the Indian Ocean. Shortly after the attack, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike and vowed retaliation. The response followed quickly, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly targeted an American tanker in the northern Persian Gulf on Thursday, setting it on fire.
These developments suggest the conflict is expanding beyond the Gulf region, bringing the hostilities closer to India’s surrounding waters.
