COLOMBO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka Navy rescued 35 people from IRIS Dena, an Iranian navy vessel in distress in waters off Sri Lanka's southern coast, officials said on Wednesday.

Iranian soldiers patrol the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran, April 30, 2019. (File photo: Xinhua)

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence said they have transferred the rescued persons to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in the southern city of Galle.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that the incident occurred outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters. He said the navy launched rescue operations immediately after receiving a distress call reporting that the vessel was sinking.

Local media reported that the vessel belongs to the Iranian Navy.