Sri Lanka has rescued 40 Iranian sailors from multiple commercial vessels in international waters off its coast after receiving a request for assistance from the Iranian Embassy through diplomatic channels.
Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo said the sailors were experiencing unspecified medical emergencies, prompting authorities to coordinate their rescue.
The sailors were brought ashore at Galle Harbour, about 126 kilometers from Colombo, where they received medical treatment before returning to Iran early Sunday morning.
Local media reports, including The Hindu, said the sailors were aboard vessels that included U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers.
However, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry did not provide further details about the circumstances that led to the rescue.
Earlier in March, Sri Lanka also rescued Iranian sailors on humanitarian grounds following the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena by a torpedo fired from a U.S. submarine on March 4.
(Photo Courtesy: Iran International)
