Uncertainty over repatriation of Iranian sailors rescued by Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The United States has objected to Sri Lanka handing over the rescued sailors and recovered bodies from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which was destroyed by a torpedo attack. Meanwhile, Iran has demanded that the sailors and bodies be returned to them, leaving Sri Lanka caught between the two countries.

Sri Lanka has stated that it will handle the situation neutrally in accordance with the United Nations charter, maritime laws, and humanitarian protocols.

The Sri Lankan Navy had rescued 32 sailors from the damaged vessel. Authorities have also identified the bodies of 84 sailors who were killed, with help from the survivors. A court in Galle has ordered that the bodies be handed over to officials from the Iranian embassy. Efforts are underway to send the remains to Iran soon. Sri Lanka has granted the rescued sailors free humanitarian visas for one month.

After receiving emergency treatment, the rescued sailors were reportedly moved to the Sri Lanka Air Force base in Galle. They will soon be transferred to the naval base at Welisara near Colombo. Under international humanitarian law, injured sailors can be repatriated if they request it.

The incident occurred on March 4, when the United States attacked the Iranian warship IRIS Dena. The vessel had been returning after participating in a military exercise in Visakhapatnam, India, when a U.S. submarine reportedly launched a torpedo at it. 87 sailors were killed, and 61 are still missing.

The day after the attack, Sri Lanka also gave shelter to 208 sailors from another Iranian naval ship, IRIS Bushehr. They are currently staying at the Welisara naval base.

According to the Hague Convention of 1907, a neutral country like Sri Lanka may keep the sailors of a warship in custody until the conflict ends. If no diplomatic agreement is reached, they may not be allowed to return until the war is over.

U.S. concerns
The United States has argued that if the sailors are sent back to Iran, the government there could use them for propaganda. Washington believes Iran may portray the dead sailors as martyrs and use the incident to escalate tensions. The U.S. is also reportedly looking for ways to identify any sailors who might be willing to defect and provide intelligence about the Iranian navy. Since the sailors are currently under the protection of a neutral country, the U.S. cannot treat them as prisoners of war. For now, the United States is trying to ensure that they are not returned to Iran at least until the conflict ends.