Sri Lanka repatriates bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in U.S. naval strike
Authorities in Sri Lanka have begun arrangements to return the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who died after their naval vessel was destroyed in a United States submarine attack earlier this month.
The officials from Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the repatriation process commenced on Friday after the completion of required legal and medical procedures within the country.
The sailors lost their lives on March 4 when the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena was struck by torpedoes reportedly launched by a United States submarine.
The incident occurred in waters close to Sri Lanka’s coastline, marking a significant escalation of tensions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict and extending its impact into the Indian Ocean region.
Government spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo said Iranian authorities had arranged a chartered aircraft to transport the remains back to Iran.
He explained that all domestic requirements for the transfer had been completed, clearing the way for the bodies to be handed over to Iranian officials.
According to Sri Lankan authorities, the bodies preserved and sealed in coffins, were scheduled to depart from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport located in the southern part of the island.
The officials said the first group of 46 bodies had already been moved to the airport by Friday afternoon where they were awaiting arrival of the Iranian cargo aircraft designated to carry them home.
The remains were recovered from the Indian Ocean following the attack and subsequently transported to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in the southern city of Galle, where post-mortem examinations were conducted.
Following the completion of autopsies, a local magistrate authorised the release of the bodies to the Iranian embassy in Colombo so they could be returned to the victims’ families.
Sri Lankan officials also disclosed that 32 sailors who survived the attack after being rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy remain in the country.
As of the time of the announcement, there had been no official statement from the Iranian embassy regarding the repatriation arrangements or the next steps for the survivors.
