Crew of Iranian Ship Bushehr Surrenders to Sri Lankan Government

The entire crew of the Iranian auxiliary ship Bushehr has surrendered to Sri Lankan authorities.

According to NewsFirst, the decision was made after consultations between the country’s government agencies, diplomatic missions, and the ship’s captain.

In total, 208 crew members surrendered to the Sri Lankan government.

The country’s president stated that Sri Lanka, as a neutral state, must handle such situations in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to him, the situation is unusual because the vessel belongs to a state involved in an ongoing conflict. Therefore, the country’s authorities are obliged to act strictly within their international obligations.

Sri Lankan authorities held ongoing negotiations with the crew, the ship’s captain, and the Iranian embassy, which kept Tehran informed about developments throughout the entire process.

Following the consultations, the government proposed taking the crew and the vessel under its custody in accordance with agreed procedures and international conventions.

Although the vessel was located near the area of the Port of Colombo, the president stressed that this is the country’s main commercial port, and detaining a military or auxiliary vessel belonging to a party involved in a conflict there could negatively affect the maritime sector.

He also noted that some shipping companies had already expressed concerns, particularly about a possible increase in insurance premiums.

As a result, the authorities decided not to allow Iris Bushehr to enter the Port of Colombo. Instead, the vessel will be moved to the area of the Port of Trincomalee.

Previously, a U.S. submarine sank the Iranian frigate Dena, a Moudge (Mowj)-class vessel, off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan authorities said they rescued 32 people who had been on board the ship and recovered several bodies from the sea.