Sri Lanka Takes Control of Second Iranian Vessel a Day After US Sub Attack

Published: March 6, 2026
The English Chronicle Desk
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Sri Lanka has taken control of a second Iranian naval vessel off its coast, moving rapidly to evacuate its crew and secure the ship amid growing tensions in the Indian Ocean following a deadly United States submarine strike that sank an Iranian warship one day earlier.

The auxiliary vessel, identified as IRIS Bushehr, requested assistance near Sri Lanka’s waters after one of its engines malfunctioned. Sri Lankan authorities allowed the vessel to be brought under their supervision and began transferring its 208 crew members to shore for safety and medical evaluation. The sailors are being taken first to Colombo with plans to move the ship later to Trincomalee, an eastern port capable of hosting the vessel during the ongoing crisis.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake framed the decision as a humanitarian and neutral act, emphasising that Colombo’s priority is the protection of lives and adherence to international maritime conventions. He stated that while Sri Lanka is maintaining its longstanding neutrality, it would not hesitate to act to “protect human lives” — a position intended to balance diplomatic ties with both Tehran and Washington.

The decision to take control of the vessel and disembark its crew came a day after a US submarine torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka’s southern waters, an attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 87 sailors and left dozens injured or missing. Sri Lankan naval units participated in search and rescue efforts following that strike, rescuing survivors and recovering bodies.

The IRIS Bushehr had been operating alongside the IRIS Dena, which had taken part in a multinational naval exercise in India before the conflict escalated in the Middle East. After the sinking of the Dena, fears grew that other Iranian vessels might become targets far from the primary theatre of conflict.

By assuming control of the second ship, Sri Lanka is navigating a delicate position amid a widening regional confrontation. The Indian Ocean island nation has deep economic and diplomatic ties with multiple sides: it purchases Iranian crude oil and maintains strong trade links with the United States. The current episode places Colombo at the centre of a geopolitical flashpoint, balancing humanitarian responsibilities with its non‑aligned foreign policy.

Iran has condemned the US submarine strike and continues to protest, while broader conflict dynamics show the war spreading beyond the traditional Middle Eastern theatre. Sri Lanka’s handling of the second vessel underscores the expanding geographic impact of the Iran–US military confrontation and highlights how smaller states are being drawn into its practical and diplomatic complexities.

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