Several bodies suspected to be of the personnel of the Iranian vessel were found, Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath said. 

“Though it was beyond our waters, it is within our search and rescue region. We are the first responders as per the international obligations,” he said. 

“We found people floating in the water and rescued them. Later on, we found upon inquiring that they belonged to the Iranian ship. We swiftly transferred them to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment,” he added. 

Search and rescue operations are still underway in the area, he said. 

“We suspect the dead bodies also belong to the same ship as we found them in the demarcated area,” he said. 

The Iranian warship that sank off Sri Lanka’s southern coast had reportedly been attacked while it was outside Sri Lankan waters, according to foreign media reports. 

However, Sampath said that this cannot be determined at the moment, as search and rescue operations are the current priority.

He said that when the Navy initially responded to the location of the distress call, a vessel could not be found, and only traces of oil spills were visible. 

“We will do technical investigations following the search and rescue operations. As the Sri Lanka Navy, we completely reject these reports,” he said, adding that the incident is still being treated as an accident. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka has decided to deploy a Navy Vessel at the Red Sea to prevent Houthi Rebels from attacking ships, blocking trade along the sea route, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. 

Addressing the ‘Shilpa Abhimani 2023’ event in Colombo on Wednesday (Jan 03), the President said Sri Lanka will deploy a Navy vessel at the Red Sea for a cost of Rs. 250 million every fortnight. 

He pointed out that prices of goods may increase due to the various wars underway, especially in Ukraine and Palestine. 

The President further said ships have also stopped using the Red Sea route due to continuous attacks by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels and the rerouting of these ships around South Africa will also indirectly increase prices of goods. 

President Wickremesinghe said therefore, a decision has been taken for Sri Lanka to join the mission to protect against attacks by the Houthi Rebels.

The President’s statement comes in the backdrop of a final warning issued by the United States and 12 allies to Houthi rebels on Wednesday to cease their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea or face potential targeted military action.

According to foreign media, the Yemen-based militants have carried out at least 23 attacks in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since Dec. 19.

However, the Iranian-backed Houthis have responded with defiance, vowing to continue targeting vessels they consider linked to Israel.

The situation in the strategically vital southern Red Sea is now at a stand-off. 

The Bab al-Mandab strait is a critical waterway through which almost 15% of global trade passes. If attacks continue, the fear is that fuel prices will rise and supply chains will be damaged. (NewsWire)

President Ranil Wickremesinghe states that Sri Lanka will dispatch a naval vessel to the Red Sea to assist in security operations. The President states that delays caused to the shipping lines due to Houthis attacks will result in further increases in the costs of living. pic.twitter.com/iabsmtWrah

— Dinouk Colombage (@Dinouk_C) January 4, 2024

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South Korea Navy ship, ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’, arrived at the Colombo Port today (Oct 26) on a formal visit. 

The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions.

Issuing a statement, the Sri Lanka Navy said ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’ is a 135-metre-long destroyer manned by 249 crew members and is commanded by Captain Kim Hyoung Churl.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva and a group of dignitaries, held a discussion onboard ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’. 

Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva and Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera were also present on this occasion.

During the ship’s stay in Colombo, the crew of ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’ will visit some of the tourist attractions of the country, while the ship is scheduled to depart Sri Lanka on Saturday (Oct 28). (NewsWire)

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