All 238 Iranian nationals rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy following the sinking and internment of two Iranian warships have returned to Iran, NewsFirst reported on Wednesday.
The sailors departed Sri Lanka on a Turkish Airlines charter flight on Monday, April 14. The group comprised 32 survivors from IRIS Dena, which was sunk by a US submarine south of Galle, and 206 crew from IRIS Bushehr, which had been interned at Trincomalee harbour since early March under international maritime law.
IRIS Bushehr entered Sri Lankan waters in March after sustaining damage during the Middle East conflict. The Sri Lanka Navy provided humanitarian assistance and accommodated the sailors throughout their stay. Iran’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka had previously expressed gratitude for Colombo’s handling of the situation.
The departure closes a diplomatic chapter that began when IRIS Bushehr arrived at Trincomalee and intensified after the US-Iran conflict escalated through the Strait of Hormuz.
