Over 100 Missing, Dozens Injured After Submarine Attack Sinks Iranian Ship Off Sri Lanka Coast

In a major maritime crisis, at least 101 people are reported missing and 78 wounded after an Iranian naval vessel was struck in what Sri Lankan defence sources described as a submarine attack in international waters off the southern coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The incident has prompted urgent rescue operations amid uncertainty over the attacker’s identity.

According to initial reports from Sri Lanka’s navy and defence ministry citing Reuters, the Iranian ship sent out a distress call early Wednesday morning near Galle, prompting the Sri Lankan navy to dispatch vessels and aircraft to the scene. Rescue teams pulled sailors from the water and transported the injured to hospitals in the region, but the vessel ultimately sank in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath informed lawmakers that the navy responded swiftly to the distress signal and launched a search and rescue mission. He confirmed some crew members had been brought ashore for medical treatment but did not immediately provide details on the total number on board or identify the cause of the attack.

A Sri Lankan naval spokesman later clarified that around 79 people had been rescued, with some critically wounded and hospitalised, and one casualty confirmed. However, the updated figures on the missing and injured remain uncertain as search efforts continue.

At this stage, there has been no official claim of responsibility for the submarine strike, and global authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The attack has raised serious international concern, especially given rising geopolitical tensions in the wider Middle East and Indian Ocean region.

Further updates are expected as Sri Lankan defence forces and Iranian officials continue their investigations and rescue operations.