Sri Lanka Evacuates 208 Crew Members From Second Iranian Warship After US Submarine Strike

Sri Lanka evacuated 208 crew from a second Iranian naval ship and moved it to Trincomalee after a US submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near its coast, killing 84 sailors and escalating tensions.

Sri Lanka on Thursday evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian naval vessel approaching its waters, as tensions continued to rise following the sinking of an Iranian frigate by a US submarine off the island’s southern coast.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake confirmed that 208 crew members were evacuated from the Iranian vessel, adding that Sri Lanka’s navy would take control of the ship and move it to the northeastern port of Trincomalee for safety.

Authorities fear the vessel could become the next target after another Iranian warship was destroyed in the same region a day earlier.

Second Iranian Vessel Seeks Safety

Earlier today, Sri Lanka’s media minister Nalinda Jayatissa told parliament that a second Iranian naval ship had approached Sri Lankan waters shortly after the attack on the frigate.

According to officials, the vessel — identified as IRIS Bushehr — was carrying nearly 300 crew members and cadets and was positioned just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

Government sources said President Dissanayake convened urgent discussions with senior officials to consider Iran’s request to allow the vessel into Sri Lankan waters for protection.

Officials feared the ship could face the same fate as the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, which was struck by a torpedo fired from a US submarine on Wednesday.

Frigate Sunk in ‘Quiet Death’ Strike

The attack that sank IRIS Dena occurred in international waters just off Sri Lanka’s southern coast, killing at least 84 Iranian sailors.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described the submarine strike as a “quiet death,” referring to the stealth torpedo used to destroy the vessel.

Sri Lankan authorities said the warship issued a distress call early Wednesday morning but had completely sunk before a Sri Lankan rescue ship reached the scene, which was roughly an hour away from the naval base in Galle.

The vessel had been returning from a military exercise in India’s eastern port city of Visakhapatnam.

Iran Condemns the Attack

Iran reacted sharply to the sinking, accusing Washington of carrying out an unprovoked act in international waters.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike and issued a warning to the United States.

“The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning,” he posted on X.

“Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set.”

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also spoke with his Iranian counterpart by phone following the incident, though New Delhi did not release details of the conversation.

Bodies Arrive in Galle as Inquest Begins

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities began a formal inquest into the deaths of the Iranian sailors in the southern port city of Galle.

Chief magistrate Sameera Dodangoda ordered autopsies on the bodies of the 84 sailors, which were brought to the city’s morgue on Wednesday.

Hospital officials said the facility could handle only about 25 bodies at a time, forcing authorities to arrange refrigerated shipping containers to preserve the remains while legal procedures continued.

Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said search operations were still underway for missing sailors.

Survivors Treated Under Tight Security

At least 32 rescued Iranian sailors remain in hospital receiving treatment, medical staff said.

Security around the hospital has been tightened, with police and elite commandos guarding the ward where the wounded are being treated.

“Most of them have minor injuries, but there were a few with fractures and burns,” a nurse at the hospital said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was working with Sri Lankan authorities to ensure survivors receive medical care.

“Our priority is to ensure that all the wounded, sick and shipwrecked receive the assistance they are entitled to without delay,” said the ICRC’s Colombo spokesperson Ruwanthi Jayasundare.

Sri Lanka Walks a Diplomatic Tightrope

Sri Lanka has repeatedly stressed its neutral position as the conflict triggered by the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran continues to widen beyond the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said he had spoken with Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday to “express grave concern” over the escalation of hostilities and call for diplomatic dialogue.

The island nation has significant economic ties with Tehran — Iran remains one of the largest buyers of Sri Lankan tea, the country’s primary export.