Sri Lanka Navy Rescues 32 Survivors After Iranian Warship Sinks Off Southern Coast

The Sri Lanka Navy launched a large-scale rescue operation after the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was struck and sunk by US naval forces in Sri Lanka's exclusive economic zone on March 4, 2026. Naval vessels deployed from the Southern Naval Command recovered 32 survivors from a crew of 180. A further 87 bodies were retrieved, with the remaining crew listed as missing. Survivors were brought to Hambantota Port for medical treatment and repatriation.

A second Iranian vessel, the replenishment ship IRIS Bushehr, subsequently requested assistance and was interned in Sri Lankan waters with 208 crew members pending diplomatic resolution. The government confirmed both operations were conducted strictly under international maritime humanitarian law, with no political alignment toward any party in the conflict. Four Cabinet committees were later established to manage the wider impact of the Middle East crisis on the national economy.