Sri Lanka repatriates 40 Iranian sailors rescued off southern coast

• Sri Lanka repatriated 40 Iranian sailors after rescuing them from a merchant vessel in distress off Galle

• The sailors received medical care before leaving by air on Saturday, with departure arrangements funded by Iran’s embassy

• The operation comes amid scrutiny of Iranian maritime activity near Sri Lanka and questions over US sanctions

Sri Lanka has sent home 40 Iranian sailors rescued from a merchant vessel in distress off its southern coast, following a humanitarian operation that included medical assistance.

A foreign ministry spokesman told reporters on Sunday that the sailors had departed by air early on Saturday. Iran’s embassy funded the logistical arrangements for their return, he said.

Sri Lankan authorities launched the rescue after receiving information that the vessel was in difficulty approximately 24 nautical miles off Galle. All 40 crew members received medical attention before being repatriated.

The operation comes against a backdrop of increased scrutiny of Iranian vessels near Sri Lanka, following incidents involving Iranian naval ships and concerns about the reach of US sanctions.

In March, a US submarine sank the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena outside Sri Lankan waters, killing at least 84 sailors.

Sri Lanka later assisted another Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, which was in distress near the scene. Authorities arranged for it to be towed to the eastern port of Trincomalee, and its 208 personnel were subsequently repatriated.

Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said in September that Iranian vessels were among 47 ships operating near Sri Lanka while remaining outside its maritime limits.

The presence of these vessels has prompted questions about whether assistance provided by Sri Lanka could carry consequences under US sanctions.

Earlier this month, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said secondary sanctions announced by Washington in August formed part of a broader global policy and did not specifically target the island nation.

The measures, announced on 24 August, put individuals and entities providing services to US-sanctioned vessels at risk of losing access to the American financial system.

The ministry issued its clarification following media speculation that Washington had warned Colombo against servicing Iranian tankers operating beyond Sri Lankan waters.

With PTI inputs