Sri Lanka Repatriates 238 Iranian Sailors Stranded For Weeks After Deadly US Submarine Strike

Sri Lanka has repatriated 238 Iranian sailors who were stranded in the country after a US submarine attack on an Iranian warship and a separate engine failure involving another naval vessel.

Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara confirmed that 32 sailors rescued from the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena and 206 crew members from IRIS Bushehr left Sri Lanka on April 14 aboard a chartered flight.

The IRIS Dena sank on March 4 after being struck by a torpedo from a US submarine around 40 kilometres off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

Iranian authorities said 104 sailors were killed, while 84 bodies were later recovered and taken back to Iran. Sri Lankan forces rescued 32 survivors from the sea.

A day later, video released by the US Department of Defense showed a ship being struck, with its rear lifting before an explosion.

On March 5, a second Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Bushehr, entered Sri Lankan waters after reporting an engine failure. The ship asked for permission to dock, which was granted after discussions with Sri Lankan authorities.

More than 200 crew members from the Bushehr were taken to naval and air force facilities, including Welisara near Colombo.

Survivors from the IRIS Dena were housed at an air force facility in Koggala, near Galle, and some received treatment at hospitals there.

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— Department of War (@DeptofWar) March 4, 2026

Sri Lanka gave the stranded sailors 30-day entry visas and kept them at military camps during their stay.

Officials said around 15 Iranian sailors will remain in Sri Lanka to operate the IRIS Bushehr, which is now anchored off Trincomalee in the northeast.

The IRIS Dena had been returning from a military exercise hosted by India when it was attacked. The incident happened in international waters and came in the early days of the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake earlier stated that the country allowed the Iranian vessel to dock on humanitarian grounds, citing international conventions and the need to protect human lives.

He added that Sri Lanka aimed to maintain neutrality while upholding its long-standing non-aligned foreign policy.

Sri Lanka has followed a non-aligned policy since independence and maintains ties with both Iran and the United States.

In a related development, another Iranian ship, IRIS Lavan, with 183 crew members, took shelter at Kochi port in India in early March. More than 100 non-essential crew members from that vessel have already returned home.

References: BBC, newindianexpress