Sri Lanka Navy rescue 32 after Iranian warship distress call

• Say incident occurred outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, but within country’s designated Search and Rescue Region
• Note 32 individuals so far been rescued and transferred to Teaching Hospital in Karapitiya
• Assert cause of distress will be determined later by specialised institutions and experts
• Observe no foreign vessels in area of distress

By Charumini de Silva

The Sri Lanka Navy yesterday firmly rejected speculation that the incident involving an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean was an attack, stressing that it remains officially classified as a “distress” situation under international maritime protocols.

Addressing a special media briefing organised by the Government Information Department, Navy Spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath said the immediate priority is search and rescue, not determining the cause of the incident.

“This is a warship. The vessel was not visible when we reached the location. We only saw the oil patch and life rafts,” he said, adding that the Navy cannot yet confirm what led to the distress call.

The vessel has been identified as belonging to the Iranian Navy, although Commander Sampath cautioned that not all those rescued can be conclusively identified as naval personnel at this stage, as warships may carry civilian technical staff.

He said the incident occurred outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, but within the country’s designated Search and Rescue Region, making Sri Lanka the responsible first responder under international maritime law, including provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We are a maritime nation, and we are the first responders as per international obligations,” he said.

Upon receiving the distress alert, the Navy coordinated through the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and deployed vessels equipped with search-and-rescue teams. The Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Coast Guard were also mobilised to assist in the operation.

“Survivors were found in the water and immediately recovered. A total of 32 individuals have so far been rescued and transferred to the Teaching Hospital in Karapitiya for urgent medical treatment,” he added.

Commander Sampath confirmed that bodies have also been recovered from within the designated search-and-rescue zone. “We found some dead bodies in that particular area, and we suspect these bodies are related to the same ship because they were discovered in the demarcated search-and-rescue zone,” he said, noting that verified figures will be released only after confirmation.

Addressing claims in sections of the media that the vessel may have been attacked, Commander Sampath categorically rejected such characterisations.

“The correct technical term is ‘distress call.’ The cause of the distress will be determined later by specialised institutions and experts. We are doing our job under MRCC and UNCLOS provisions,” he said.

He also dismissed suggestions that other foreign naval vessels were present in the vicinity at the time of the incident. “As of now, none. We observed no ships in that area. Our priority was on the search and rescue operation,” he said.

While some reports have cited figures suggesting as many as 180 personnel may have been on board, the Navy said such numbers must be verified through survivor accounts and official documentation.

“We are hopeful of finding more,” Commander Sampath said, noting that the search area has been expanded using scientific calculations based on the time of distress, weather patterns, and ocean currents.

Iranian officials are currently in contact with the survivors, while Sri Lankan authorities continue to prioritise rescue and recovery efforts.