Submarine attack on Iranian ship off Sri Lanka leaves over 100 missing
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A submarine attack on an Iranian ship off the coast of Sri Lanka has left at least 101 people missing, one dead and 78 injured, sources from Sri Lanka’s navy and defence ministry announced on Wednesday.
The sources said the vessel has sunk following the attack. It remains unclear who carried out the strike, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
However, a Sri Lankan navy spokesman disputed the report that 101 people were missing.
According to the official, 32 injured individuals were rescued by the Sri Lankan navy after the incident and were taken to hospital for treatment.
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Sri Lanka's foreign minister told parliament earlier in the day that the navy had responded to a distress call from the ship and launched rescue operations at 6:00 a.m. (1230 GMT).
"What we know at this point is that 79 people were rescued and brought to the hospital and one of them was seriously injured. Another 101 are believed to be missing and the vessel has sunk," a Sri Lankan navy source, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media, said.
The sources said one of the people brought to the hospital had died.
Foreign minister Vijitha Herath did not give further details in parliament but said the military had rescued at least 30 people who were on board and said Sri Lanka would take appropriate action.
By Nijat Babayev
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