Sri Lanka gives medical aid to stranded Iranian sailors

Oil tanker (representative image)

Sri Lanka has responded to a distress call and provided medical help to 40 Iranian sailors from ships anchored close to the island’s waters before repatriating them to Tehran, a spokesperson said Sunday. The sailors were brought to the island’s southern port of Galle Saturday after Sri Lankan authorities received a distress call seeking medical help, said Thushara Rodrigo, the foreign ministry spokesperson. He said he doesn’t have details about which ships the sailors came from. He said they were transported to the shore by vessels arranged by the Iranian Embassy and local shipping agents. After initial medical treatment, they left Sri Lanka early Sunday, added Rodrigo.