A second Iranian warship was reported approaching Sri Lanka’s territorial waters on Thursday, a day after a US submarine sank an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 sailors, parliament was told.
Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the vessel was just outside Sri Lankan waters but did not provide further details. Officials fear the ship, carrying more than 100 crew members, could face a similar threat after its sister vessel was destroyed off the southern coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
The incident comes amid the ongoing conflict triggered by a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, a war that continues to ripple across the Middle East and beyond.
Authorities in Galle, Sri Lanka’s southern port city, are preparing to return the remains of the 87 sailors killed in the torpedo attack. Meanwhile, 32 survivors are receiving medical care under tight security in a separate ward at the city’s main hospital.
“Most of them have minor injuries, but a few are suffering from fractures and burns,” a nurse attending to the survivors said, requesting anonymity.
Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath confirmed that naval vessels were still searching for missing Iranian sailors. Iran has not issued a comment on the attack.
Throughout the crisis, Sri Lanka has maintained a neutral stance, repeatedly calling for dialogue and peaceful resolution to the escalating conflict.
In these tense moments, the human stories—the families, the sailors, the survivors—serve as a stark reminder of the real cost of conflict. Beyond geopolitics, these are lives disrupted, hopes shaken, and communities left in mourning.
