Bodies of 84 Iranian sailors flown back home

• An Iranian-chartered flight arrived at Mattala to transport the bodies

BY D.G.Sugathapala 

Steps were taken yesterday for the 84 bodies of Iranian Navy personnel who were killed in a torpedo attack by a US submarine on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena on March 04 in the seas off Sri Lanka to be flown to Iran.

The bodies were brought to Mattala International Airport under strict security, the first 45 in the early hours of yesterday morning and the rest in the afternoon

The Iranian-chartered flight carrying the bodies arrived at Mattala International Airport at 12.30 pm, and all 84 bodies had been brought to the airport by 2.30 pm. In response to the request of Galle Harbour Police, the Galle Magistrate on March 11 ordered the Director of Karapitiya Hospital to hand over the bodies to the Iranian Embassy.

Soon after the court order, the bodies were embalmed and prepared for the flight by undertakers from Colombo.