Sri Lanka to repatriate remains of 84 Iranians killed in US attackCOLOMBO, March 13, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Sri Lanka is repatriating on Friday the remains of 84 Iranian sailors killed when their frigate was sunk nine days ago by a US submarine, the Foreign Ministry said. The seamen were killed when IRIS Dena was torpedoed on March 4 just off the coast of Sri Lanka, in a move that extended the Middle East war to the Indian Ocean. "All domestic procedures have been completed, and the Iranians are bringing a chartered aircraft for the repatriation," spokesman Thushara Rodrigo told AFP. "The 32 sailors who were rescued by our navy will remain in Sri Lanka." The embalmed remains, in sealed boxes, are to be flown out of Sri Lanka from the Mattala International Airport in the south of the country, officials said.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 13, 2026 09:04 UTC