The Sri Lanka Navy has dispatched a vessel to rescue the crew of a Iranian vessel which is in distress in the Southern seas, The Morning learns. 

According to Deputy Minister of Defence Maj. Gen (Rted) Aruna Jayasekara, the SLN has dispatched a vessel on the rescue operation with the Sri Lanka Air Force on standby to assist if required. 

Jayasekara told The Morning that the Ministry was still receiving information about the Iranian vessel and as such cannot verify if it was a commercial vessel or an Naval vessel. He said that the incident had happened out side Sri Lankan territorial waters, around 20 nautical miles south of Galle.

The incident comes as the United States and Israel plunged the Middle East and West Indian Ocean in to crisis with Operation "Epic Fury" targeting Iran.

Iran has retaliated hitting US assets and their allies in the Middles East and Mediterranean. The conflict risks disrupting global energy flow and trade.