Sri Lankan authorities have rescued 40 Iranian sailors suffering from medical emergencies in international waters off the island’s southeastern coast, arranging treatment in Colombo before flying them back to Iran on Saturday night.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo told BBC Sinhala that authorities received a distress call from Iranian ships on Saturday seeking urgent medical assistance. The operation was coordinated by the Iranian Embassy in Colombo, with several agencies and local shipping companies involved.

The sailors served aboard different vessels, but authorities could not confirm how many ships were involved, Rodrigo said.

Sri Lanka said the operation was carried out on humanitarian grounds and in line with its international legal obligations, stressing that the assistance did not amount to support for the vessels themselves.

“We have dealt with such cases before. This is a normal process,” Rodrigo said, according to BBC Sinhala.

The incident comes as Iranian naval and other vessels remain stranded in regional waters amid the US naval blockade and the wider conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

A BBC Sinhala report last month identified 21 Iranian vessels in international waters near Sri Lanka. Earlier this month, Sri Lankan authorities said they had no immediate plans to provide supplies to 19 Iranian ships reporting shortages of food, water and fuel, citing the need to prioritize national interests.

Sri Lanka has maintained a neutral position in the conflict, rejecting military access requests from both Washington and Tehran while calling for dialogue.

In March, the island nation also rescued survivors after the Iranian naval vessel Iris Dena sank off its coast following a US torpedo attack that killed more than 80 crew members.

BOB Post