NAIROBI, Kenya- Sri Lanka has evacuated the crew of a second Iranian naval vessel after the United States sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in waters near the island nation, dramatically escalating tensions in the region.
Sri Lankan authorities confirmed that 208 crew members were safely evacuated from the second Iranian ship after it requested permission to dock for safety following the deadly attack on the frigate.
The evacuation was conducted as a precaution amid fears that the vessel could also become a target in the intensifying conflict.
The incident comes a day after a U.S. submarine torpedoed the Iranian navy frigate in the Indian Ocean, roughly 40 nautical miles south of the Sri Lankan city of Galle.
The attack killed dozens of sailors and triggered an emergency rescue effort led by the Sri Lankan navy and air force.
Rescue teams responding to the distress signal from the stricken warship recovered 87 bodies and rescued at least 32 sailors from the sea, while others remain missing.
Survivors were taken to hospitals in southern Sri Lanka for treatment after being found floating in the water following the explosion that sank the vessel.
Sri Lanka’s government said the decision to evacuate the second Iranian vessel’s crew and allow the ship to dock was based on humanitarian concerns.
Officials stressed that the country remains neutral in the growing confrontation between Iran and the United States and acted solely to protect lives.
The Iranian warship had reportedly been returning home after participating in an international naval event hosted by India before the attack occurred.
Military analysts say the sinking marks one of the most significant naval incidents in the escalating confrontation between Iran and a U.S.-led coalition.
The strike is particularly notable because it represents the first confirmed instance of a U.S. submarine sinking an enemy surface ship in combat since World War II, highlighting the severity of the current conflict.
Iran has strongly condemned the attack, calling it an act of aggression and warning that the United States would face consequences.
Washington, however, has defended the strike as part of broader military operations aimed at weakening Iran’s naval capabilities amid the ongoing regional crisis.
With tensions continuing to rise, the events off Sri Lanka’s coast have underscored the widening geographical scope of the conflict and raised concerns about security along major global shipping routes in the Indian Ocean.
