A second Iranian warship was reported nearing Sri Lanka’s territorial waters on Thursday, a day after a US submarine struck and sank an Iranian frigate, resulting in the deaths of at least 87 sailors, officials said.
Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa told parliament that the vessel was just outside Sri Lankan waters, though he did not provide further details.
According to official sources, the warship is carrying over 100 crew members, raising concerns that it could face a similar fate as its sister vessel, which was sunk just off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on Wednesday.
The attack has escalated tensions in the region, as the conflict—triggered by a joint US-Israel offensive against Iran—continues to ripple across the Middle East and beyond.
In the southern port city of Galle, authorities prepared to receive the remains of the 87 sailors killed in the torpedo strike. Meanwhile, 32 rescued Iranian sailors remained under tight security at the city’s main hospital. Police and elite commandos ensured that the Emergency Treatment Unit was off-limits to visitors, with a separate ward set up specifically for the injured.
A nurse at the hospital, speaking anonymously, said, “Most of them have minor injuries, but a few are suffering from fractures and burns.”
Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath confirmed that search operations for missing sailors are ongoing.
Iran has not yet publicly responded to the incident. Sri Lanka has maintained its neutral stance throughout the conflict, repeatedly calling for dialogue and peaceful resolution.
As the world watches, the human toll of these confrontations becomes clearer, reminding us that behind every headline are lives disrupted, families waiting for news, and communities trying to cope with the sudden shock of violence on foreign shores.
