Sri Lanka holds talks on fate of Iranian naval crew as repatriation may take time

Colombo, March 7 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lankan diplomatic missions have begun formal discussions with Iranian authorities regarding the fate of the IRIS Bushehr and surviving crew members, following the sinking of its sister ship IRIS Dena after a torpedo attack by a United States submarine off the coast of Galle.

Daily Mirror learns that the repatriation process is expected to be lengthy, as Sri Lanka strictly follow the Hague Conventions of 1907 and international maritime laws governing neutrality.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Navy is continuing search and rescue operations in waters off Galle to locate any remaining Iranian personnel. Navy Spokesman Buddhika Sampath said two naval vessels are currently engaged in the operation while several others remain on standby.

He said no additional bodies had been recovered beyond the 84 retrieved as of yesterday afternoon, adding that search operations are being carried out solely by the Sri Lanka Navy without the involvement of any foreign forces.

Once initial formalities are completed, the vessel IRIS Bushehr is expected to be escorted to the Trincomalee Port.

The Navy spokesman said the crew would be treated as non-combatants after being moved to a secure location, noting that the steps taken are aimed at ensuring Sri Lanka’s neutrality in the conflict.

Under international law, a neutral country that receives a belligerent warship or its crew is required to intern them to prevent their return to hostilities until the conflict ends.

Sri Lankan authorities took custody of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Bushehr and safely brought its 208 crew members ashore on Thursday night. The decision was announced by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake amid rising maritime tensions in the region.

The development follows an incident earlier this week in which IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo from a United States submarine just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The IRIS Bushehr was one of three Iranian naval vessels returning from the MILAN 2026 naval exercises held in Visakhapatnam. The vessel had been waiting in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone off the coast of Panadura for diplomatic clearance to make a goodwill visit.

However, the situation escalated on the morning of March 4 when IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo about 19 nautical miles off the coast of Galle. A joint rescue operation by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force led to the rescue of 32 survivors and the recovery of 84 bodies.

Following the attack, concerns were raised over the safety of the IRIS Bushehr and its crew, prompting the vessel to request permission to enter a Sri Lankan port. After emergency consultations involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, naval commanders and the Iranian Embassy, the government decided to take the vessel and its personnel into state custody.

Addressing the media from the Presidential Secretariat, President Dissanayake said allowing a targeted foreign military vessel to remain near the Port of Colombo could pose security risks, including possible disruptions to commercial shipping and increased maritime insurance costs.

The government therefore decided to relocate the vessel to Trincomalee Port under the escort of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Before the relocation, Sri Lanka Navy vessels transferred 208 Iranian naval personnel from the IRIS Bushehr to the Port of Colombo. The crew, including 53 officers, 84 cadets, 48 senior sailors and 23 sailors, were later taken to the Welisara Naval Base.

They are expected to undergo medical checks, formal registration and receive necessary welfare support.

Responding to questions about possible diplomatic concerns from the United States, President Dissanayake said the decision was based on humanitarian grounds.

“This is not providing military assistance to any party involved in the conflict. A large number of lives were in danger,” he said, adding that Sri Lanka’s actions were carried out in line with international law and the country’s policy of neutrality.