Sri Lanka has rescued 40 Iranian sailors from two merchant vessels off Galle and sent them home, while about 21 Iranian oil tankers remain just outside its territorial waters, the Daily Mirror reported on Monday.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed the rescue to the newspaper. “Yes, it is correct. We rescued 40 sailors, provided medical treatment and repatriated them on Sunday morning,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two vessels were about 24 nautical miles off Galle when they sent distress calls about the medical condition of their crew. The calls were received on Saturday through the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the Sri Lanka Navy. The sailors had reportedly been stranded at sea for months.
The Ministry said the evacuation was arranged by the Iranian Embassy in Colombo. Sri Lankan authorities coordinated the transfer of the crew to shore through the Port of Galle.
The Daily Mirror, citing unnamed sources, reported that the 21 tankers are empty and are staying near Sri Lanka’s maritime borders. The same report said the Government has not given them commercial supplies or logistical support. Defence officials said reconnaissance aircraft and naval patrol boats are monitoring the vessels.
Background
The Daily Mirror reported that the Government’s caution follows a US threat of secondary sanctions against those who assist Iranian vessels that Washington has sanctioned. The Iranian ships have reportedly been unable to return to their home ports because of a US blockade.
The newspaper also recalled an earlier incident in March, when a US submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in international waters near Sri Lanka, killing 104 sailors. The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors after that incident, and a second Iranian naval vessel later sought safe harbour in Trincomalee, it said.
Sri Lanka is a signatory to international rules that oblige coastal states to respond to calls for help from seafarers in distress, and the Government has said its assistance to Iranian crews is based on humanitarian considerations.
What it means
The rescue shows how the conflict in the region is reaching the waters around Sri Lanka, which lies on busy east-west shipping routes. The Navy’s maritime rescue centre is the point of contact for ships that need urgent help in the area.
For Sri Lankans, the main effect is diplomatic. Colombo is trying to keep relations with both Washington and Tehran while avoiding steps that could expose the country to sanctions, according to the Daily Mirror.
