Sri Lanka Navy Rejects Attack Narrative as Search for Missing Iranian Warship Crew Widens

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lanka Navy has firmly dismissed speculation that the incident involving the Iranian Navy vessel was an attack, stressing that the situation remains classified strictly as a distress call.

Navy Spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath said determining the cause must come later, as the Navy’s immediate responsibility is the rescue operation.

Responding to a journalist’s question citing media reports that 180 crew were on board while 32 had been rescued, Commander Sampath said the actual number of personnel must be verified through survivor accounts.

“Documentation indicates those numbers, but the credible confirmation must come from survivors. We are hopeful of finding more,” he said, adding that the Navy continues to conduct an extended search-and-rescue operation, adjusted for prevailing weather conditions.

Commander Sampath confirmed that bodies have been found, but he could not yet provide verified figures. “We suspect the bodies belong to the distressed ship, but I cannot give a number until it is confirmed,” he said.

When asked directly whether the distressed vessel was an Iranian Navy warship, he responded: “It is obvious that it belongs to the Iranian Navy. But I cannot give 100% assurance that all rescued persons are Iranian Navy sailors, because naval ships sometimes carry civilian staff. I can confirm the ship is an Iranian Navy vessel.”

A journalist referred to a government spokesperson calling the incident an “attack,” prompting the Navy to clarify its position.

“The correct technical term is distress call. The cause of the distress will be determined later by specialised bodies. We are doing our job under MRCC and UNCLOS provisions,” Commander Sampath said.

When questioned about the presence of any other foreign naval vessels in the vicinity at the time of the distress call, Commander Sampath was clear: “As of now, none. We observed no ships in that area. Our full focus was on the search and rescue operation.”

He acknowledged that the ship may have been outside typical shipping corridors, noting that no vessels were visible on arrival, possibly due to the timing of the incident. The Navy has since expanded the search area.

“We are conducting extended search and rescue operations with scientific calculations based on the distress time, weather conditions, and maritime environment,” he said.

The Navy spokesperson was also asked about speculation that the Iranian ship had been waiting for permission to call at a Sri Lankan port. Commander Sampath declined to engage in the speculation, reiterating the Navy’s priority: “My focus is to give updates on the rescue mission. As per international obligations, we are the first responders because the incident occurred within our Search and Rescue Region.”

He emphasised that Sri Lanka continues to act fully in accordance with international maritime conventions, regulations, and obligations. Search and rescue efforts involving the Sri Lanka Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard remain ongoing.

He also stated that Iranian officials are in contact with the survivors, while the Navy continues to focus on its operational responsibilities.