Sri Lanka on Thursday allowed a second Iranian ship to dock at the eastern port of Trincomalee and evacuated all 208 personnel on board, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, a day after another Iranian frigate was sunk near the island nation. In a televised address, Dissanayake said the vessel, IRINS Bushehr, had sought permission to enter Sri Lankan waters, citing an engine failure. Sri Lanka's territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from its coastline and belong fully to the country. The inquests on the 84 bodies of the perished Iranian sailors would be conducted on Thursday at the Karapitiya hospital in Galle, where the injured are receiving treatment. Sri Lankan Navy spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath said, "We are only concerned about our obligation to rescue them as first responders under international maritime obligations."

Source: The Telegraph March 05, 2026 18:28 UTC