Another Iranian vessel near Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Cabinet Spokesman

The second Iranian vessel is also not currently within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, but is located in the Exclusive Economic Zone close to Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary, according to Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

Speaking in Parliament today (05), the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa revealed that another Iranian ship was positioned near the Port of Colombo.

Responding to this, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the government possesses far more information than what the Opposition Leader is aware of. He said that the government is intervening in order to resolve the issue while minimizing loss of life and safeguarding regional peace.

He further added that a detailed report will be presented to Parliament once the relevant activities are concluded.

Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated, “We know many more facts than those presented by the Opposition Leader. The government is acting with full knowledge to resolve this issue, minimize casualties, and protect regional peace. The ship mentioned is still not within our territorial waters. It is located in the Exclusive Economic Zone near our national waters. We are making the maximum possible intervention regarding the matter.”

The Cabinet Spokesman noted that Sri Lanka, as a country, and the government is working towards international peace and especially peace in the Indian Ocean is a key expectation. At present, many developments are taking place in the Indian Ocean that are even more serious than what has been publicly stated, he added.

Minister Jayatissa said Sri Lanka is intervening in accordance with international law and on humanitarian grounds to protect regional stability.

He stated, “more information will be provided later. For now, the government is responsibly acting to minimize casualties and safeguard peace in the Indian Ocean in line with international conventions. More details may be provided later in the evening.”

The Minister also said that everyone is aware that a severe war-like situation is escalating in the Middle East region. Therefore, he said, “this is not the time to make jokes, settle political scores, or provoke groups through the media or Parliament using false or half-true information. Every politician and public representative should make responsible statements during a situation of global significance like this.”

He explained that Sri Lanka has territorial waters extending 12 nautical miles from its coastline, which belong fully to the country adding from 12 to 200 nautical miles lies the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where international maritime laws apply and Sri Lanka mainly has rights related to economic activities, not military operations.

The Iran naval ship attack occurred around 19 nautical miles from the Galle Harbour.

At 5:08 a.m. yesterday, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the Sri Lanka Navy first received a message—not about an attack—but about bodies floating in the sea in that area.

Within less than an hour, the Sri Lanka Navy launched rescue operations. At that moment, the priority was not to investigate the attack, but to save lives on humanitarian grounds, the Navy Spokesman Buddhika Sampath said.

Through these efforts by the Navy, the Ministry of Defence, and the government, 32 survivors were brought to Galle National Hospital, with one person currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. So far, 87 bodies have been recovered.

Minister Nalinda Jayatissa also confirmed that the available freezer capacity is insufficient at the hospital, so the government is seeking assistance from the private sector to store the bodies.

Arrangements are currently being made, and two additional units are expected to be sent from Colombo within a few hours.

The attack on the Iranian naval vessel happened hundreds of miles across the Indian Ocean from the Gulf, where U.S. and Israeli forces are striking Iran and Tehran is retaliating with missile and drone attacks.

“An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed yesterday at a Pentagon press briefing. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death.”

⁠A Pentagon video purporting to have captured the attack showed the warship being hit by a huge explosion which blew apart the rear of the vessel, lifting it from the water, and caused it to begin sinking from the stern.

The exact date when the video was filmed and the type of warship could not be verified. However, the deck shape and mast of the vessel in the video matched file imagery of the same type of warship as the IRIS Dena.

The Iranian vessel had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25, according to the drill’s website. Sri Lanka said it ⁠had launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate survivors after receiving a distress call.

The commander of the warship and some senior officers who were among the survivors have claimed that they were hit by a submarine attack.

The website of the ‘Milan’ biennial multilateral naval exercise organised by India listed the ‘IRINS Dena’ as having taken part in the drill, ⁠which was held in the Bay of Bengal off India’s eastern coast.

IRIS - or Islamic Republic of Iran Ship - is the more commonly used prefix for Iranian naval vessels, while IRINS - or Islamic Republic of Iran Naval Ship - is sometimes used.

“Indian Navy welcomes IRIS Dena, of the Iranian Navy, on her arrival at #Visakhapatnam ... reflecting long-standing cultural links ⁠between the two nations,” the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy said in a post on X on February 17 along with pictures of the warship and some of its officers.

--with Agencies inputs