Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors stranded after US torpedo attack

The survivors of the US attack on Iranian vessel Iris Dena, which claimed the lives of 104 people, were among those sent home. Sri Lanka repatriates 238 stranded Iranian sailors after US attack Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A still from the video released by the US Department of Defense showing the moment the boat was sank Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors stranded after US torpedo attack More than 200 Iranian sailors left stranded in Sri Lanka after a US torpedo attack are returning home after being stuck in the country for more than a month. On Wednesday, Sri Lanka's Deputy Defence Minister, Aruna ⁠Jayasekara, confirmed 32 sailors rescued from the Iris Dena and 206 from Irins Bushehr, had left the country. The Iranian warship, Iris Dena, sank on 4 March about 40km (25 miles) from Sri Lanka's southern coastline after it was hit by a torpedo from a US submarine, killing 104 sailors. On March 5, Sri Lanka took control of the Iranian naval vessel, Irins Bushehr, after it had requested to dock at one of country's ports after one of its engines malfunctioned. Speaking to Reuters, ⁠Jayasekara confirmed the crew of both ships were flown out on Tuesday night. The stranded sailors were granted 30-day entry visas by the Sri Lankan government and were housed in navy and air force camps. The Iris Dena had been returning from a military exercise hosted by India when it was attacked. had been returning from a military exercise hosted by India when it was attacked. Video released by the US Department of Defense after the incident showed a ship being struck, causing the stern to rise up before exploding. The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in the attack were recovered and later repatriated in a chartered plane arranged by Iran. Its sinking in international waters came just a few days into the current US-Israeli war with Iran and marked a dramatic widening of the conflict. Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East - targeting Gulf countries allied with the US. A map showing the Arabian Sea region including Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India, and Sri Lanka. A red label near Sri Lanka marks the location where the Iris Dena sank near Galle. The Strait of Hormuz is labelled between Iran and Oman. In the upper-right corner, an inset photo shows a grey naval ship docked at a port with cranes in the background, labelled the Iris Dena in Brazil in 2023. A small world map in the upper-left highlights the region with a red rectangle. About 15 Iranian sailors will remain in Sri Lanka to operate the Irins Bushehr, which is anchored off Trincomalee in the northeast of the island. Sri Lanka had allowed the Iranian vessel to dock at a north-eastern port on 5 March after hours of discussion, with its president saying they would "never hesitate to protect humanity". Sri Lanka had allowed the Iranian vessel to dock at a north-eastern port on 5 March after hours of discussion, with its president saying they would "never hesitate to protect humanity". "Our position has been to safeguard our neutrality while demonstrating our humanitarian values," President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in a statement at the time. "[Sri Lanka] intervened in a way that demonstrated our commitment to international conventions, protecting the reputation and dignity of our country, and protecting human lives," he said. Sri Lanka has maintained a long-standing policy of non-alignment since it became independent in 1948. It has strong economic and diplomatic ties with both Iran and the US. Drivers wait in a queue to refuel their auto rickshaws at a fuel station in Biyagama on the outskirts of Colombo on March 15, 2026. Iran war lands 'triple blow' to flood-ravaged Sri Lankans A man looks on as a rusting cargo ship catches fire in Iraqi territorial waters 'There's no hiding place on a ship': The sailors stranded near Iran Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz Trump says talks could resume this week as Vance says US wants 'grand bargain' with Iran Israel strikes hit southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel, a day after rare direct negotiations. Since the start of the US blockade on Monday, 15 vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, nine of which have links to Iran, BBC Verify analysis of ship-tracking data suggests. 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