Washington asks Colombo to keep Iranian sailors in custody after rare naval strike in the Indian Ocean
WEB DESK: The United States has asked Sri Lanka not to repatriate survivors from a recently sunk Iranian warship or the crew of another Iranian vessel currently under Sri Lankan supervision, according to an internal diplomatic memorandum.
According to The Express Tribune, the cable dated March 6 and sent by the US State Department reveals that US chargé d’affaires in Colombo, Jayne Howell, urged Sri Lankan authorities to avoid sending back 32 survivors from the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena and the crew of the auxiliary ship IRIS Booshehr.
The IRIS Dena was reportedly sunk after a torpedo strike from a US submarine in international waters about 19 nautical miles from the southern Sri Lankan port city of Galle. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, which resulted in dozens of casualties.
Sri Lankan naval forces recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 sailors after responding to a distress signal from the vessel.
The incident represents a major escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran and is considered one of the rare instances since World War II in which a submarine has sunk an enemy surface warship.
US officials reportedly want to prevent Iran from using captured sailors for propaganda during the ongoing conflict. The diplomatic memo indicates there are currently no plans to allow the crew to return to Iran while hostilities continue.
Meanwhile, the IRIS Booshehr, which sought assistance after the sinking is being escorted to a port on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, where its crew remains under Sri Lankan supervision.
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