Iran's second warship has reached Sri Lankan waters after the first was sunk by a U.S. submarine torpedo, resulting in at least 84 deaths. Sri Lanka is considering Iran's request to allow the ship to dock at Colombo port.
On 6 March 2026, Nalinda Jayatissa, Sri Lanka's Minister of Mass Media, told Parliament that Iran's warship IRIS Bushehr, with nearly 300 crew and naval cadets aboard, approached Sri Lankan waters following the recent sinking of an Iranian warship by a U.S. submarine torpedo off the country's southern coast. Reports state the second ship's mission was to resupply the first. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government is reviewing Iran's request to allow the second ship to take refuge in the island nation's waters.
During a parliamentary session, Sri Lankan government officials confirmed that the Iranian Navy supply ship IRIS Bushehr urgently requested assistance and permission to dock in Sri Lanka. This request came after the first ship was sunk and as Sri Lanka, with support from the Indian Navy, continues search and rescue operations.
Reports indicate this 3,300-ton supply vessel was dispatched to resupply the first ship returning from maritime activities in India. Built in 1974, the ship is 108 meters long. Sri Lankan officials stated the vessel carries up to 270 crew and naval cadets.
Government sources revealed that Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a meeting of senior officials to discuss response measures after Iran's warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a U.S. submarine torpedo on 4 March near the southern coast. The incident resulted in at least 84 crew deaths, down from earlier reports of 87. The bodies were transported to Galle, a southern port city in Sri Lanka, for autopsies.
However, hospitals in Galle can only accommodate about 25 bodies at a time, prompting officials to urgently arrange refrigerated containers to preserve the deceased while legal procedures proceed. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, condemned the U.S. attack as a cruel maritime act and warned that the United States would regret this action.
Source: CNN / Maritime-executive