News
X-Press Pearl sinking
MV ‘X-Press Pearl’ cargo ship has begun sinking off the Colombo Port after being ablaze for two weeks.
An attempt was made yesterday to tow it away to deep seas to minimise the damage from the expected massive oil spill to Sri Lanka’s beaches.
The Singaporean-flagged cargo ship began taking in water on Wednesday, halting efforts to put out the enduring fire. On Tuesday, experts from Smit Salvours boarded the vessel while SLN divers investigated a suspected water leak in the stern area of the severely damaged vessel.
“The salvage company involved in X-Press Pearl has indicated that the vessel is sinking at the current position,” Fisheries State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said in a tweet.
The Negombo Lagoon, near which the crippled vessel is located, has been closed for entry, while fishing operations have been suspended along the coast.
“Emergency measures are being taken to protect the lagoon and surrounding areas to contain the damage from any debris or in case of an oil leak,” the minister added.
Images released by the Sri Lanka Air Force show the partially submerged vessel being towed away from the coast by a tugboat. The badly burnt vessel was still emitting a plume of smoke as it began to sink.
The ship is believed to still have a large amount of oil in its tanks – it had some 350 metric tons on board when the blaze broke out – and its sinking is likely to produce a major spill. The country’s Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said it expected beaches along a 30-km (50-mile) stretch of the coast to be hit by the impending disaster, sources said.
The vessel caught fire back on May 20, while being anchored off the country’s west coast. The ship was carrying nearly 1,500 containers of assorted chemicals, including 25 tons of nitric acid. Despite the efforts of the Sri Lankan and Indian militaries, the blaze has not been fully extinguished.
Multiple containers fell off the ship during the nearly two-week fire accompanied by an explosion, spilling their hazardous contents into the water. Beaches of Sri Lanka have already been littered with various debris, including a large haul of plastic pellets. MEPA has launched operations to clean up the detritus as they continue to get washed onto the beaches.
The MV ‘X-Press Pearl’ has had an extremely short career, as it was only delivered to its owner X-Press Feeders in February this year. The vessel has made only a handful of voyages, catching fire shortly after it made its third – and last – port call.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed for Manila, Philippines, at midnight on 8 March on an official visit at the invitation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where she will participate in events marking International Women’s Day.
Upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, the Prime Minister was welcomed by Dr. Chanaka Thalpahewa, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Philippines, along with officials of the Government of the Philippines and representatives of the Asian Development Bank.
During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the International Women’s Day event hosted at the ADB Headquarters in Manila.
On the sidelines of the event, the Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with several Ministers of the Government of the Philippines to further strengthen cooperation and bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the Philippines in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
News
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure women’s rights are realized in everyday Life, and are not confined merely to Laws – PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the political, economic, and social rights of women are not confined merely to laws or written documents, but are realized as a reality in the daily lives of every woman in the country.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating as the Chief Guest at the National Celebration of International Women’s Day 2026, held on March 8 at the Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna in Matara under the theme “The Pride of a Prosperous Country – She is the Nation’s Path Forward.”
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister further stated:
“The freedoms we enjoy today including the right to education and political rights were won through the struggles carried out by women throughout history. This day is not merely confined to flowers. Our goal is to safeguard those rights and create an environment where every woman in our country can lead her life towards a better future.
The products of women entrepreneurs in this country should not remain confined to their local areas. The government is working to create an environment to ensure that they become active contributors to the national economy.
At the same time, a proposal has recently been presented by the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus to introduce a National Care Policy in order to recognize both the paid and unpaid contributions made by women for their families and for the country’s economy.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that women have a significant responsibility to stand for humanity in the face of the various crises occurring around the world. She called upon the women of the country to unite with compassion and take the lead in raising their voices for peace.
Addressing the event, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj stated that a new era has dawned in which the tears and sweat shed by women working abroad to strengthen the country’s foreign reserves will receive due recognition. She further noted that a comprehensive mechanism involving all ministries will be implemented to support women entrepreneurs, female heads of households, and women who have experienced violence.
At this national event, the Prime Minister also presented appreciation awards to 25 successful women entrepreneurs from across the island.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi, Southern Province Governor Prof. Susiripala Manawadu, Deputy Ministers including Dr. Namal Sudarshana, along with ambassadors, public representatives, and a large number of participants.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Iranian warship Iris Dena was given permission by India to dock three days before it was torpedoed by a US submarine, India has said.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said Iran had sought permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports on 28 February – the day the US and Israel began a war on Iran – and permission was granted by India on 1 March.
The ships’ movements between 1 and 4 March are not clear and nor is why only one of them made it to India.
The sinking of the Iris Dena, with 130 sailors on board, in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on 4 March marked a dramatic widening of the war – and raised questions about India’s authority in its backyard.
It was the first military strike outside the Middle East since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran. President Donald Trump has said destroying Iran’s navy is one aim of the assault.
The three Iranian ships – Iris Dena, Iris Bushehr and Iris Lavan – had all participated in a military exercise hosted by India between 15 and 25 February in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam.
They left Indian waters on 25 February and were likely to have been in international waters on 28 February – when the US and Israel began attacking Iran.
“The Iranian side had requested permission on 28 February for three ships in the region to dock at our ports. This was accorded on 1 March,” Jaishankar told parliament on Monday. “Iris Lavan actually docked on 4 March in Kochi. The crew is currently in Indian naval facilities. We believe that this was the right thing to do.”
On 4 March, Iris Dena sank after being hit by a torpedo fired from a US submarine, killing at least 87 of its crew members.
According to the Indian Navy, the Iris Dena was operating about 20 nautical miles – roughly 23 miles (37km) – west of Galle in waters that fall under Sri Lanka’s designated search-and-rescue zone on the day it was struck.
The US tracks vessels across the world’s oceans, and a quarter of its submarine fleet of 65-70 is at sea at any given time, according to analysts.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said last week the US had “perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores” and that the warship was “struck in international waters without warning.”
Later, Sri Lanka said it had provided sanctuary for Iris Bushehr on 5 March, a day after it requested for docking following an engine malfunction.
Eventually, India also confirmed that Iris Lavan was docked in its southern city Kochi.
The BBC has written to the Iranian embassy in India and India’s external affairs ministry seeking clarification on the movements of the three Iranian naval vessels after Delhi granted them permission to dock.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has touted the attack on Iris Dena as an example of America’s military prowess, claiming it was “the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War Two”.
While it is the first time since 1945 that an American submarine has sunk an enemy ship this way, the UK and Pakistan have both sunk vessels using torpedoes since then.
The Iris Dena was one of about 20 Iranian navy vessels destroyed since Israel and the US launched co-ordinated strikes on Iran.
[BBC]
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