Colombo has finalised arrangements to repatriate the bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in a US submarine attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off its southern coast.

The incident occurred on 4 March, as the frigate returned from a joint naval exercise with India. Local media and a source from the Iranian embassy in Colombo confirmed the development on Friday.

A Sri Lankan court issued an order earlier this week directing the handover of the bodies, which have been stored in the morgue at Galle's National Hospital. Defence ministry officials cited by local outlets stated that the remains would depart via a special flight from Mattala International Airport in the island's south. Reuters images captured police-escorted trucks transporting the coffins through crowded streets, underscoring the solemnity of the operation.

The IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class frigate commissioned in 2018, was struck by a torpedo from an unidentified US submarine. The vessel was navigating international waters approximately 200 nautical miles southeast of Sri Lanka when the attack unfolded.

Iranian officials have condemned it as an act of aggression amid escalating hostilities in the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, which began in late 2025 and has disrupted global energy markets and trade routes.

This conflict has seen intensified naval posturing in the Indian Ocean, with US forces bolstering submarine patrols to counter Iranian naval deployments. The IRIS Dena had participated in Exercise Varuna-inspired drills with the Indian Navy near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, highlighting Iran's outreach to regional partners amid Western sanctions. The attack marks one of the first direct submarine strikes in open waters since the war's outset.

Of the IRIS Dena's crew, 32 survivors received medical treatment in Sri Lanka; 22 have since been discharged from Galle Hospital. Separately, 208 crew from the accompanying IRIS Booshehr remain ashore after their vessel suffered engine failure in the same vicinity. Sri Lanka's government granted them 30-day visas, with the foreign ministry coordinating with Tehran's embassy.

An Iranian embassy source in Colombo noted that logistics are underway to move the bodies from the hospital to Mattala Airport, though exact departure times remain unconfirmed. Sri Lanka's health, foreign, and defence ministries declined to comment when approached by Reuters. The navy clarified it has no role in the repatriation process.

Tensions simmer as Washington reportedly urged Colombo last week not to repatriate survivors from both ships, citing intelligence concerns over potential Iranian naval threats. This places neutral Sri Lanka in a delicate position, balancing ties with key partners: the US absorbs about 40 per cent of its apparel exports, while Iran ranks among its top tea buyers, importing over 50,000 tonnes annually.

The incident has ripple effects across South Asia's defence landscape. India, a close Sri Lankan ally, has ramped up maritime surveillance in the region, deploying P-8I aircraft and INS Vikrant carrier groups. Analysts link the attack to broader US efforts to interdict Iranian supply lines supporting proxies in the Middle East, amid fears of escalation in the Arabian Sea.

Economically, the war has hammered Sri Lanka's recovery from its 2022 crisis. Fuel prices have surged 25 per cent since January, tea exports to Iran face delays, and US apparel orders dipped amid global shipping disruptions. Colombo's neutral stance—evident in its visa grants and court order—signals reluctance to alienate either superpower.

Iran's ambassador in Colombo expressed gratitude to Sri Lankan authorities for their handling of the aftermath, vowing to pursue justice through international channels. Tehran has accused the US of violating UNCLOS by targeting a warship in international waters, demanding a Security Council probe.

As the special flight prepares to lift off, the repatriation serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of great-power rivalries spilling into the Indian Ocean. With 240 Iranian crew still in Sri Lanka, diplomatic manoeuvres continue behind closed doors, potentially shaping Colombo's role in future regional flashpoints.

Reuters