Sri Lanka evacuates crew of second Iranian vessel after US sunk IRIS Dena
Al Jazeera
More than 200 crew members evacuated, a day after a US submarine sank an Iranian frigate, leaving 87 sailors dead.
Sri Lanka has evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian naval vessel off its coast, a day after a US submarine sank an Iranian frigate in the same waters, leaving 87 sailors dead.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced on Thursday that his navy would take custody of the second ship and move it to the northeastern port of Trincomalee for safekeeping, amid fears it could be targeted. He said his government held discussions with Iranian officials and the captain of the ship.
Sri Lankan officials say 87 bodies were recovered and 32 people rescued from the roughly 180 people believed to have been on board IRIS Dena sunk on Wednesday.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed that a US submarine sank the vessel amid US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa told parliament the vessel was positioned near Colombo, inside Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone but beyond its territorial waters, adding that authorities were doing “their utmost to safeguard lives”.
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