‘Responded to distress call, rescue op ongoing’: India on Iran ship sunk by US off Sri Lanka coast | India News
Iran’s warship IRIS Dena (file photo)
India came to the rescue of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena after receiving a distress call while operating in the SAR area under Sri Lanka, the Indian Navy said on Thursday. The Navy also disclosed that it is still coordinating with the Sri Lankan Police to assist in the search and rescue.According to the Sri Lanka Navy, a distress call was received from IRIS Dena at MRCC Colombo in the early hours of March 04. The vessel was operating 20 NM west of Galle in the SAR area under Sri Lankan jurisdiction. After receiving the information, the Indian Navy immediately launched its SAR efforts in a long period of time covering an aircraft boundary. 04 Mar 26 Sri Lanka-led search efforts to increase,” it said in a statement.Disclosing further details, it added, “Another aircraft with an air droppable life raft was also kept on standby for immediate deployment. INS Tarangini, which was operating in the vicinity, was deployed to assist in rescue efforts and reached the search area by 1600 hours on 04 March 26. By then INS, Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan agencies were under Sri Lanka and other agencies. Ikshak also sailed from Kochi to augment the search efforts and the ship Search and rescue efforts are continuing to trace the missing workers as a humanitarian measure for the stricken workers.”The US Navy has sunk an Iranian warship returning from the Milan naval exercise, a multilateral exercise organized by India. The attack in the Indian Ocean killed at least 80 sailors and reportedly came amid a wider wave of US and Israeli operations targeting Iran.
