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The bodies of killed Iranian sailors in Sri Lanka last night.
Sri Lanka has confirmed that another Iranian naval vessel is currently operating in waters close to the island’s maritime boundary, as the fallout from the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena continues to unfold.
Addressing parliament on Thursday, Chief Government Whip and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledged the presence of the vessel and said the Sri Lankan government and the Ministry of Defence were monitoring the situation.
The minister clarified that the vessel was located outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
“The government and the Defence Ministry are aware of the ship. The government is involved in providing maximum intervention pertaining to the lives of those onboard. We will give a report once we complete the mission,” he said.
“The Exclusive Economic Zone is 12 nautical miles from Sri Lanka. Any country is allowed to travel, and there is freedom of navigation. Sri Lanka only has authority related to economic affairs in the said zone. However, the attack happened 19 nautical miles from Sri Lanka,” he said.
His comments came amid controversy following the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean south of the island. The vessel was struck by a torpedo fired from a United States submarine.
The Iranian warship had been returning after participating in the 2026 International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam, India, when it was attacked near the southern coast of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Navy vessels launched a rescue operation after reports of bodies and survivors in the water prompted authorities to respond.
“At the time, we did not probe whether it was a result of a military or torpedo attack or war-related. We acted purely on a humanitarian basis. 32 people were rescued and admitted to the Karapitiya Hospital. One person is in the ICU. A total of 87 dead bodies were recovered,” Jayatissa said.
Search and recovery operations remain ongoing in the waters south of the island.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers have pressed the government for clarity on the presence of the second Iranian vessel and the broader circumstances surrounding the attack.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said parliament had not yet received a full explanation from the government regarding the incident.
“It has been revealed via international media that the Iranian Navy ship ‘Iris Dena’ was sunk following an attack by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean. The Sri Lankan Navy had conducted a search and rescue mission, which we appreciate. The government has not yet issued a statement on the exact location of the attack, whether it involves Sri Lankan waters or the surrounding economic region, and what diplomatic measures have been taken in this regard,” he said.
Premadasa also said reports had emerged of another Iranian ship near Sri Lanka and called on the government to clarify the situation.
“We need a clear statement from the government regarding this, as well as on the Iranian Ship that was attacked near Galle, the number of personnel involved, and other related details,” he added.
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa also questioned whether Sri Lanka had prior knowledge of the operation that led to the destruction of the Iranian vessel.
Speaking to India Today, Rajapaksa said the Sri Lanka Navy had acted in accordance with international law by carrying out rescue operations for those affected. However, he said it was now up to the government to clarify whether it had been informed beforehand of the mission.
The confirmation that another Iranian naval vessel remains in waters near Sri Lanka comes as tensions continue to rise following the attack on the IRIS Dena, which United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said was carried out by an American submarine using a torpedo.
Sri Lankan authorities say they will brief parliament further once their ongoing operations in the area are completed.
Iran has strongly condemned the attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of carrying out an unlawful strike in international waters.
“The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores,” Araghchi said in a statement. He added that the frigate had been a guest of the Indian Navy and warned that Washington would “bitterly regret the precedent it has set.”
The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 5, 2026
Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning.
Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set. pic.twitter.com/cxYiI9BLUk
