The Sri Lankan military has rescued at least 30 people from a sinking Iranian vessel off the country’s southern coast, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry told parliament on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the rescue operation was launched after authorities received a distress signal from the Iranian ship as it encountered difficulties near Sri Lankan waters.
A spokesperson for the Defence Ministry said the Sri Lankan Navy swiftly dispatched a rescue mission in response to the emergency call earlier in the day.
Local media reported that the vessel sent out the distress alert off the coast of Galle, in southern Sri Lanka. Several of those rescued were said to have sustained injuries and were admitted to a hospital in Galle for treatment.
The circumstances surrounding the vessel’s distress were not immediately clear, and authorities have yet to provide further details on the cause of the incident.
Boluwatife Enome
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