Sri Lanka Repatriates Bodies of 84 Iranian Sailors Killed in US Submarine Strike

Authorities in Sri Lanka have repatriated the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who were killed after their frigate IRIS Dena was sunk in a torpedo strike by a US submarine off the island’s southern coast earlier this month.

The Sri Lankan government had earlier recovered the bodies after the Iranian naval vessel sank in waters near Galle on March 4. The ship was reportedly returning to Iran from Visakhapatnam in India, where it had taken part in a naval fleet review exercise .

According to officials, the frigate was struck by a torpedo fired from a US submarine , causing it to sink rapidly. A distress signal was reportedly issued shortly before the vessel went down, prompting a search and rescue operation by the Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force . Rescue teams reached the area and recovered survivors and bodies from the sea.

A total of 32 sailors survived the attack and were rescued from the water. They were taken to medical facilities in Galle for treatment before later being discharged. Following their recovery, the survivors were moved to the nearby Koggala airbase .

Meanwhile, search teams recovered 84 bodies of sailors during the operation. The remains were taken to the Karapitiya National Hospital in Galle for identification and other formal procedures. Due to limited morgue capacity, the hospital had to store the bodies in temporary refrigeration facilities while arrangements were made for their repatriation.

Legal clearance for handing over the remains was provided by Chief Magistrate Sameera Dodangoda , who on March 11 directed the hospital authorities to release the bodies to the Iranian Embassy.

After completing the necessary formalities, the remains were transported to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in the southern district of Hambantota. They were subsequently flown to Iran on a chartered Turkish aircraft arranged through the Iranian diplomatic mission.

The incident has drawn attention amid the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran . While Washington reportedly described the strike as a legitimate military action , Iranian authorities have maintained that the vessel was returning from an international naval engagement and was not on a combat mission .

The repatriation of the sailors’ remains marks the conclusion of the humanitarian process undertaken by Sri Lankan authorities following the maritime tragedy.