More than 200 Iranian crew members have been repatriated to their country after being rescued by Sri Lanka, local authorities announced. These sailors belonged to two military vessels that were in distress off the coast of Colombo.
The rescue operation began in early March when 32 crew members of the warship IRIS Dena were rescued after the vessel was damaged. According to available information, it was hit by a torpedo fired by a US submarine.
The ship was returning from a naval exercise organized by India, in a regional context marked by heightened tensions related to the conflict involving Iran. This incident underscores the growing risks at sea in a strategic area.
A second Iranian vessel, the IRIS Bushehr, had also requested assistance from Sri Lanka after encountering mechanical problems. A total of 208 crew members from this ship were rescued the day after the initial rescue operation.
After several weeks in Sri Lanka, the sailors were finally evacuated on a special chartered flight home. Authorities did not specify the exact conditions of their stay but confirmed that the entire crew had been taken care of.
This operation highlights Sri Lanka's role in regional maritime rescue, while also illustrating the indirect repercussions of current geopolitical tensions on maritime security.
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