Environmental
Southern beaches face pollution from Iranian vessel debris and spills
Debris and oil‑like slicks from the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena have washed ashore along the southern coast, raising concerns of marine and coastal pollution.
Debris and pollutants from the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena, torpedoed by a US submarine roughly 19 nautical miles offshore Sri Lanka’s southern coast, have washed up on beaches in the southern belt. Orange‑tinted slicks have been observed at Hikkaduwa and Dodanduwa, alongside barrels containing what is suspected to be lubricant oil. Sri Lanka Coast Guard and naval personnel, supported by local authorities and Clean Sri Lanka teams, have deployed booms and absorbent pads to contain and remove the spilled material across stretches of Hikkaduwa and Nonagama. The persistence of lubricant oil on the water surface and the difficulty of containment in rough seas heighten the risk of ongoing coastal and marine pollution.
- Status
- active
- Location
- Southern coastal belt, Hikkaduwa and nearby beaches, Southern Province, Sri Lanka
- Date added
- 2026-03-25 20:58 UTC
- Last updated
- 2026-03-25 20:58 UTC
- Source
- https://www.dailynews.lk
- Connected threats
-
- Not Available