Sri Lanka monitors second Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean
Following the sinking of an Iranian frigate off Galle, Sri Lankan authorities are closely monitoring the presence of a second Iranian ship in the country’s exclusive economic zone. The vessel, which some sources believe to be a logistics vessel, has reportedly requested assistance due to technical problems amid rising tensions in the Indian Ocean.
Colombo (AsiaNews) – Sri Lankan authorities have recovered at least 87 bodies after the sinking of the Iranian naval vessel off the country’s southern coast.
Another vessel, also from Iran, is in international waters near the island, but it is not yet clear what type it is. Some sources claim that it is a logistics pipe-laying vessel, not a warship, and has reportedly requested permission from the Sri Lankan government to dock due to engine failure.
Chief Government Whip, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, today said that the government is aware of the presence of the second vessel and is monitoring the situation. The vessel is not in Sri Lankan territorial waters but in the exclusive economic zone, where freedom of navigation applies.
“The government and the Defence Ministry are aware of the vessel,” Jayatissa said. “The government is taking all possible measures to safeguard the lives of those on board,” he added.
Recently, several Iranian ships were India for joint military drills, an issue that has embarrassed the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
If US submarines should attack a second Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean, the war risks spreading to the Indian Ocean and South Asia, already reeling from the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue following the US attack on the Iranian frigate off the coast of Galle.
An inquest into the recovered bodies also opened today at the Galle Court, where Chief Magistrate Sameera Dodangoda and Additional Magistrate Maheshika Wijayathunga ordered a post-mortem of the victims by the Galle National Hospital coroner.
However, local health facilities are facing logistical challenges in managing the large number of bodies recovered from the sea.
The hospital director explained that the morgue cannot accommodate all the victims and that the authorities are preparing mobile refrigerated containers to store the bodies. To this end, the government is talking with private companies to obtain additional refrigeration systems.
A total of 32 people were rescued and admitted to Karapitiya Hospital, one of whom is in intensive care.
The government emphasised that the security forces' intervention was conducted solely on a humanitarian basis. “At the time, we did not probe whether it was a result of a military or torpedo attack or war-related,” a medical official said.
Meanwhile, another Iranian ship is being monitored, currently in international waters near Panadura, on Sri Lanka’s western coast, according to local media reports.
The Iranian embassy in Colombo has the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence for access to a local port to supply the vessel with drinking water and food.
The situation came to light during a visit by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe to the Iranian embassy to sign the book of condolences following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
After the meeting, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof informed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the situation, seeking mediation to allow the ship to enter a Sri Lankan port on humanitarian grounds.
In Sri Lanka, some opposition leaders criticised the government for the way it is handling the crisis, arguing that the Iranian ship that sank yesterday remained at sea for hours without being able to dock in Galle while a US submarine operated freely in the area.
Other political groups called on the government to maintain a non-aligned position in the ongoing international conflict. For Duminda Nagamuwa, a member of the People’s Struggle Alliance, Sri Lanka should avoid taking sides in a war between great powers. Instead, it should take a “non-aligned approach,” avoiding involvement in what he calls a “genocidal and brutal war”.
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22/11/2018 10:36
