Sri Lanka has completed the repatriation of a total of 238 Iranian sailors. The rescue operation involved two separate groups: 32 rescued from the IRIS Dena frigate and 206 from the IRIS Bushehr.

Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said 32 sailors rescued from the IRIS Dena — a frigate attacked on March 4 just off Sri Lanka — and another 206 from the IRIS Bushehr left on April 14, 2026