84 bodies recovered after Iranian warship sinks near Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Navy says the bodies of 84 personnel believed to have been on board the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which sank in international waters about 40 nautical miles off Galle, have been recovered and transported to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.

Navy Spokesperson Commander Buddhika Sampath stated that the vessel met with an accident yesterday (March 04) in international waters close to Sri Lanka’s Search and Rescue Region.

The Sri Lanka Navy received a distress message at around 5:08 AM on March 04, 2026 reporting that the vessel was sinking.

Following the alert, the Navy immediately launched a search and rescue operation with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

The first naval craft was dispatched by 6:00 AM, while a second vessel was sent by 7:00 AM. The Air Force also deployed an aircraft to assist with aerial search operations.

The vessel was located about 40 nautical miles off Galle, within Sri Lanka’s search and rescue area but outside the country’s territorial waters.

During the rescue operation, the Sri Lanka Navy managed to save 32 individuals from the vessel identified as IRIS Dena.

According to reports cited by Reuters, there were approximately 180 personnel on board the warship at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, the bodies of 84 personnel believed to have been on board the vessel were recovered and transported to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital yesterday.

Minister Herath told Parliament yesterday that although the ship was outside Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean, the country is internationally obligated to respond to such emergencies.

He explained that Sri Lanka has ratified the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue of 1979, which requires assistance to be provided regardless of nationality, the cause of the incident, or whether it occurred beyond national waters.

He described Sri Lanka’s intervention as both a legal duty and a humanitarian responsibility.

Meanwhile, addressing a Pentagon briefing last evening, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Iranian warship was sunk by a U.S. submarine using a torpedo in the Indian Ocean.

According to the BBC, the U.S. War Secretary said the United States had targeted what he described as “an Iranian warship that believed it was safe in international waters,” confirming that the vessel sank following the torpedo attack launched from the submarine.