About 35 people aboard an Iranian naval vessel that met with an accident about 40 nautical miles off the Galle Harbour are currently being brought ashore by Sri Lanka Navy rescue teams.

The Ministry of Defence said arrangements have been made to transfer those rescued to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle for medical attention if required.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Air Force has deployed a surveillance aircraft to assist search operations in the area where the vessel encountered the accident.

Addressing Parliament today (4), Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said the vessel had not met with the accident within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The minister added that the rescue operation was launched after the Navy received a distress message indicating that the vessel was sinking.