Sri Lanka takes control of Iranian ship Iris Bushehr, rescues 208 crew

Sri Lanka safely evacuated 208 crew members of the second Iranian navy vessel IRIS Bushehr on Thursday, said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a day after a torpedo fired from a US submarine struck and sank another Iranian frigate, IRIS DENA. President Dissanayake said Sri Lanka’s navy will also take over the second vessel and shift it to the northeastern port of Trincomalee for safekeeping amid fears that it could also be a target for attack.

The Sri Lankan government decided to formally take charge of the Iranian vessel Iris Bushehr and its crew after discussions with relevant authorities, diplomatic missions, and the ship’s captain.

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Sri Lanka followed international conventions: Dissanayake

Dissanayake revealed that the vessel had reported to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 4 and sought permission to enter a Sri Lankan port. He emphasised that Sri Lanka, as a neutral state, decided to manage the situation in line with international conventions, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Since it was not a routine situation, as the ship belongs to one party of an ongoing conflict, it required Sri Lanka to proceed strictly according to international obligations. “We cannot act hastily. We must work based on international agreements and commitments. Both parties need to reach an understanding,” the president said.

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‘Held discussions with crew, captain, and Iranian Embassy’

The Sri Lankan authorities held continuous discussions with the crew, the ship’s captain, and the Iranian Embassy, which had kept the Iranian government informed throughout the process.

Following the talks, Sri Lanka proposed to take the crew and vessel under its care, subject to agreed procedures and established conventions.

President Dissanayake confirmed that a common understanding had been reached regarding the safe removal of crew members and the placement of the vessel.

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The government decided not to bring Iris Bushehr to Colombo Port and instead to dock it at Trincomalee Port.

Iris Bushehr taken to Trincomalee Port

Although the vessel remained near the Colombo Port area, the president underscored that Colombo is the country’s primary commercial harbour, and detaining such a vessel there could disrupt the maritime industry. He said that some shipping lines had already raised concerns, including the possibility of increased insurance premiums in such an eventuality; hence, the government decided not to bring Iris Bushehr into Colombo Port. Instead, the vessel will be taken to the Trincomalee Port area.

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Sri Lankan navy vessels approached Iris Bushehr for the operation and offloaded 208 individuals and brought them ashore. They included 53 officers, 84 cadet officers, 48 senior sailors, and 21 sailors.

President Dissanayake affirmed that Sri Lanka has acted with clarity and consistency. “We are not biased towards any state, nor are we subordinate to any state. We act as a free and sovereign nation,” he stressed.

Earlier, opposition MP Mujibur Rahman said in the Sri Lankan parliament that the Iranian navy ship IRIS DENA, which sank after being torpedoed, had sought permission to dock at Galle Harbour, but the government had failed to respond in time.