The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors, currently placed in two mobile cold storage units at the Galle National Hospital, have been ordered to be handed over to officials of the Embassy of Iran in Sri Lanka.
The order was issued this morning (11) by the Galle Chief Magistrate, Sameera Dodangoda, Ada Derana reporter said.
Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered the hospital’s director to release the remains to the Iranian embassy representatives.
The directive was made following a request submitted to the Galle Magistrate’s Court by the Galle Harbour Police.
Iran yesterday announced that the bodies of dozens of sailors killed when the US attacked and sank the IRIS Dena vessel close to Sri Lanka will soon be returned to the country.
In a statement, the Iranian army’s public relations office said 84 of 104 bodies had been identified and would soon be transferred back to Iran.
The statement said the repatriation was being carried out with the efforts of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the cooperation of the Sri Lankan government.
Meanwhile, a discussion was held between government authorities and officials of the Iranian Embassy in Sri Lanka regarding the next steps to be taken concerning the Iranian sailors currently in Sri Lankan custody.
When inquired by Ada Derana, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) stated that a decision on how to proceed with the Iranian sailors will be made after the discussion with embassy officials.
A total of 32 sailors rescued from the IRIS Dena vessel, which was attacked by the United States in seas off Galle and 204 sailors from the IRIS Bushehr vessel are currently under Sri Lanka’s custody.
Amid the conflict that has arisen between Iran and the United States, significant attention has been focused on the decisions that Sri Lankan authorities will take regarding the Iranian sailors.
However, commenting on the matter on Sunday, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala stated that the government will grant one-month free visas to the Iranian sailors and provide them with necessary facilities on humanitarian grounds.
Deputy Minister Hansaka Wijemuni also expressed similar views regarding the measures to be followed concerning the Iranian sailors currently in Sri Lanka’s custody as well as the bodies of the deceased Iranian sailors.
