Sri Lanka Repatriates Bodies of Iranian Sailors Killed in US Submarine Attack

Sri Lanka has handed over the bodies of 45 Iranian sailors killed in a US submarine attack on the warship IRIS Dena off its southern coast to Iran's embassy, with plans to repatriate them from Mattala International Airport. The frigate sank on March 4 while returning from a naval exercise in India. Sri Lanka recovered 84 bodies in total and is repatriating them via a special flight that will also stop in India to pick up crew members from another Iranian ship. Thirty-two survivors remain in Sri Lanka, and the country is hosting additional Iranian sailors from other vessels seeking shelter.