A Sri Lankan court has directed authorities to hand over the bodies of 84 Iranian sailors to the Iranian embassy following a deadly naval incident near the island nation’s southern coast. The sailors were killed last week when the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo while sailing near Sri Lanka amid the wider regional conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
According to officials, the vessel had been returning from a naval exercise organised by India when the attack occurred in waters close to Sri Lanka. The incident took place during escalating military tensions linked to the ongoing war involving Iran, which has already disrupted global markets, energy supplies, and international travel routes.
Read more : Iran thanks Sri Lanka for ship crew rescue –
Authorities said the bodies of the sailors are currently kept at the morgue of the National Hospital in Galle, the southern port city where the legal proceedings took place. The court order was issued after local police requested permission to transfer the remains to Iranian diplomatic officials for further arrangements and repatriation.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also allowed 208 crew members from another Iranian vessel to temporarily enter the country after their ship experienced engine trouble in nearby waters. Officials granted the sailors 30-day entry visas while authorities coordinate with Iranian officials regarding the crew’s next steps and possible repatriation.
Read more : Sri Lanka rescues 30 from distressed Iranian ship near coast
Government representatives said Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry is maintaining communication with the Iranian embassy in Colombo while awaiting further instructions from Tehran. Authorities also confirmed that the second vessel, IRIS Booshehr, remains near the coast and may eventually be moved to the eastern port of Trincomalee for logistical and safety reasons.
The naval incident has drawn international attention as global powers monitor developments in the region. While thirty-two sailors survived the attack on the IRIS Dena, diplomatic discussions continue as Sri Lanka balances its relations with both the United States and Iran, two countries that hold important economic ties with the island nation.