Sri Lanka Navy Joint Rescue Operation Rescues Survivors from Iranian Vessel in Distress in Southern Sea off Galle
March 04, 2026The Sri Lanka Navy, in coordination with the Sri Lanka Air Force, launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation following a distress signal received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Colombo (MRCC Colombo) at 5:08 a.m. on Wednesday (March 04) regarding a vessel in distress in sea south of Galle.
The distressed vessel was located outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but within the country’s designated Search and Rescue Region (SRR), where Sri Lanka bears responsibility for coordinating maritime rescue operations.
Accordingly, MRCC Colombo promptly activated rescue procedures and coordinated with the Navy to deploy naval vessels and Air Force maritime surveillance aircraft to the reported location. Naval units departed for the area around 6:00 a.m. equipped with the necessary rescue teams and equipment.
During the operation, the Navy successfully rescued 32 injured crew members. The survivors were brought ashore and transferred to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the Navy, together with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and the Sri Lanka Air Force, continued extensive search operations in the surrounding waters. So far 84 bodies believed to be members of the vessel’s crew had been recovered and handed over to the hospital authorities for further procedures.
As a maritime nation, Sri Lanka is committed to responding swiftly to distress situations within its Search and Rescue Region in accordance with international obligations under the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Search operations in the area are continuing.