Iran plane leaves India carrying sailors, bodies from warship sunk in US attack

NEW DELHI/COLOMBO: A chartered aircraft arranged by Iran departed from southern India late Friday carrying Iranian sailors as well as the bodies of crew members killed when a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast, sources told Reuters.

The aircraft had earlier taken off from Sri Lanka carrying the bodies of 84 Iranian sailors who died in the attack last week, an Indian official with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The plane later landed in the southern Indian city of Kochi before departing with sailors from another Iranian naval vessel and several Iranian tourists stranded in India, the official added.

An Iranian source confirmed the aircraft had taken off from Kochi but declined to disclose its destination or further details for security reasons.

India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a torpedo fired from a U.S. submarine on March 4 while it was returning from naval exercises in India during the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

Two other Iranian vessels involved in the exercises sought refuge in the region. IRIS Lavan docked in India while IRIS Booshehr arrived in Sri Lanka.

Earlier this week, a Sri Lankan court ordered that the bodies of the sailors, which had been kept in a morgue at the National Hospital in the southern port city of Galle, be handed over to the Iranian embassy.

Authorities in Sri Lanka’s health, foreign and defence ministries did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The Sri Lankan navy said it was not involved in the transportation or repatriation process.

According to officials, 32 survivors from the sunken vessel remain in Sri Lanka, along with 208 crew members from IRIS Booshehr.

Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry said it was in contact with the Iranian embassy in Colombo regarding the crew, while Iranian authorities in Tehran are being consulted on further arrangements.

Regional impact

The movement of sailors and bodies reflects the wider regional consequences of the conflict involving Iran.

Reuters reported last week that Washington had urged Colombo not to repatriate survivors from the two Iranian vessels.

The war has also disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after multiple attacks on ships linked to Iran.

India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, has been in contact with Iranian authorities to ensure safe passage for Indian-linked vessels as it seeks to avoid a major energy disruption.

In recent days, a limited number of ships have been allowed to pass through the strait, offering some relief for India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has presented the development as a diplomatic success ahead of upcoming state elections.