Sri Lanka lets 2nd Iranian ship dock at Trincomalee, evacuates 208 on board

Sri Lanka on Thursday allowed a second Iranian ship to dock at the eastern port of Trincomalee and evacuated all 208 personnel on board, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, a day after another Iranian frigate was sunk near the island nation. In a televised address, Dissanayake said the vessel, IRINS Bushehr, had sought permission to enter Sri Lankan waters, citing an engine failure. "We wanted to remain neutral while dealing with a humanitarian response," he said, adding that Sri Lanka's role was limited to responding to a request from one party involved in the conflict. "No one deserves to die. Every life is precious," the President said. He also criticised opposition parties for attempting to politicise the situation. "We won't succumb to pressure. We will maintain our neutrality," Dissanayake said. According to the President, the ship had 208 personnel on board, comprising 53 officers, 84 cadets, 48 senior sailors and 23 seamen, all of whom were evacuated after the ship w