Sri Lanka Navy Rescues Crew from Mysterious Ship That is Drifting Eastward

What started as a successful maritime rescue has turned into a mystery for Sri Lankan officials. The ship is now drifting eastward into the Bay of Bengal and toward the Andaman Sea, while Sri Lanka attempts to unravel its ownership, determine if it has insurance, and figure out exactly what is aboard.

The Navy received reports of a distress call on October 25, which, according to the Sri Lanka Guardian newspaper, was relayed by a third party. The Navy deployed its vessel SLNS Samudura for a search and rescue mission, and the merchant ship MV Morning Glory in the region also responded to the distress call.

The general cargo ship, identifying as Integrity Star (8,276 dwt), was located approximately 100 nautical miles south of Sri Lanka with 14 crew aboard from India, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. They reported that the vessel, built in 2009 and registered in Vanuatu, suffered a major engine failure. The crew was evacuated to the Sri Lankan Navy vessel and transferred to Colombo.

The ship’s AIS signal shows it departed Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on September 6 and was bound for the Suez Canal. Databases, however, also list the ship under the name Feng Da and managed by a company in Hong Kong.

Crew was rescued, but Sri Lanka remains suspicious due to inconsistencies in the story (Sri Lanka Navy)

Officials reportedly believe the ship has presented falsified insurance papers, and according to the Sri Lanka Guardian report is accused of being in violation of 50 IMO regulations. Further, the newspaper says the captain refused to identify the cargo aboard the ship, and it is believed that although the ship was in Sri Lankan waters, the captain contacted Indian and Turkish officials for assistance when the ship was disabled.

The newspaper quotes unnamed sources as saying there are “too many inconsistencies” in the ship’s story. They are still attempting to determine the owner of the vessel. The newspaper reports the crew is in Colombo under supervision as the investigation proceeds.

The ship, which was reportedly last spotted having drifted by approximately 70 nautical miles, is abandoned and heading towards East Asia. It has a spotty history, having been cited for four safety violations and oil accumulation in the engine room in an August 2025 Port State inspection in Vietnam. In June 2025, China cited the ship for 22 deficiencies ranging from safety to structural issues.

The newspaper speculated whether the vessel could have been involved in illegal activity such as smuggling or insurance fraud. They also question if there could be illegal goods aboard because of the failure to declare the cargo.