Sri Lanka takes control of second Iranian vessel a day after US sub attack

March 6, 2026

Sri Lanka has assumed control of an Iranian naval vessel, the Irins Bushehr, which sought emergency docking permission due to engine failure, coming just one day after a US submarine destroyed another Iranian warship nearby. The country evacuated over 200 crew members from the Bushehr to a northeastern port while emphasizing its commitment to neutrality and humanitarian principles amid escalating US-Israeli military operations against Iran. Sri Lankan authorities are simultaneously conducting search and rescue operations for missing sailors from the previously sunken Iris Dena, with 32 survivors receiving hospital treatment for severe injuries.

Who is affected

208 crew members from the Irins Bushehr (including 53 officers, 84 cadet officers, 48 senior sailors, and 23 sailors)
32 survivors from the Iris Dena receiving treatment in Galle hospital
Missing crew members from the Iris Dena still being searched for
At least 87 people killed in the sinking of the Iris Dena
Sri Lankan government and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth
Sri Lanka's maritime industry
Iranian Navy

What action is being taken

Sri Lanka has taken control of the Iranian vessel Irins Bushehr
The 208 crew members are being evacuated and brought to Colombo
Sri Lanka's navy is searching its waters for missing crew members from the Iris Dena
32 survivors from the Iris Dena are being treated at a hospital in Galle

Why it matters

This situation is significant because it demonstrates how the escalating Middle East conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran is affecting neutral nations far beyond the region. Sri Lanka finds itself in a diplomatically sensitive position as it must balance humanitarian obligations with its policy of non-alignment while maintaining crucial economic relationships with both sides—it depends on Iranian oil imports paid through tea exports and relies on the US as its primary market for garments. The incident also represents a major escalation in the conflict, as the sinking of the Iris Dena was part of broader coordinated strikes that destroyed approximately 20 Iranian naval vessels, marking the first US submarine torpedo attack on an enemy ship since World War Two.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC