Sri Lanka has said it will treat Iranian sailors rescued after a naval incident in the Indian Ocean strictly according to international law, as the situation unfolds amid rising tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel. The decision comes after a US submarine attack reportedly sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka’s coast. The attack killed dozens of sailors and left others stranded at sea.
Reports say that the Sri Lankan government said the rescued Iranian personnel would be handled under global humanitarian rules that govern the treatment of sailors and soldiers during conflicts at sea. Officials stressed that the country’s actions are based on international obligations rather than political pressure from any side.
The rules Sri Lanka referred to mainly come from international humanitarian law, especially the Second Geneva Convention of 1949. The convention centers on safeguarding military personnel at sea who are wounded, ill, or shipwrecked. It mandates humane treatment and medical care for sailors, regardless of their nationality.
The Geneva Conventions is a collection of international treaties and were established between 1864 and 1949. They are aimed to reduce the suffering caused by warfare.
They set out rules for the protection of civilians, prisoners of war, and wounded soldiers. Almost every country in the world has accepted these agreements. They are one of the most widely recognised frameworks in international law.
Another key legal framework is international maritime law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This treaty was adopted in 1982 and has been in force since 1994. It establishes rules regarding the oceans and the responsibilities of states operating at sea. It also reinforces the long-standing principle that ships and coastal states must help people in distress at sea.
An Iranian warship by the name of IRIS Dena was reportedly torpedoed by a US submarine in waters near Sri Lanka during the escalating regional conflict. The strike killed at least 87 crew members. Several others were rescued after the ship went down.
At the same time, another Iranian naval vessel by the name of IRIS Booshehr experienced engine trouble inside Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone and requested assistance. Sri Lankan authorities responded to the distress call and escorted the vessel to safety. More than 200 Iranian crew members were brought ashore and were given medical checks and moved to a naval facility near Colombo.
Sri Lankan officials said this was a humanitarian response required under international law. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the move as an effort to safeguard lives while keeping the country neutral amid the growing conflict.
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