Late on Friday night, a chartered aircraft organized by Iran took off from the southern Indian city of Kochi, transporting Iranian naval personnel along with the remains of crew members who lost their lives when a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka. This somber departure marks a significant chapter in the unfolding regional tensions connected to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
The aircraft had initially arrived from Sri Lanka, carrying the bodies of 84 Iranian sailors who perished in the attack that occurred last week. An Indian official with direct knowledge of the operation confirmed that the plane made a stopover in Kochi, where it subsequently boarded sailors from another Iranian naval vessel, as well as several Iranian tourists who had been stranded in India amid the escalating hostilities.
While an Iranian source verified the plane’s departure from Kochi, they refrained from revealing its final destination or additional details, citing security concerns. Efforts to obtain a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs were met with silence, as officials have yet to comment publicly on the matter.
The incident traces back to March 4, when the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo launched from a US submarine. The vessel was returning from joint naval exercises conducted in Indian waters at the time, a period marked by heightened conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. In the aftermath, two other Iranian ships involved in the drills sought refuge nearby — the IRIS Lavan docked in India, while the IRIS Booshehr took shelter in Sri Lanka.
Earlier in the week, a Sri Lankan court mandated the release of the sailors’ bodies, which had been preserved in the morgue of the National Hospital in Galle, to the Iranian embassy. Despite multiple requests, Sri Lankan authorities from the health, foreign, and defense ministries have remained unavailable for comment. The Sri Lankan navy also clarified that it played no role in the repatriation or transportation of the deceased sailors.
Current figures indicate that 32 survivors from the sunken IRIS Dena remain in Sri Lanka, alongside 208 crew members from the IRIS Booshehr. The Sri Lankan foreign ministry has maintained communication with the Iranian embassy in Colombo to coordinate the welfare and further arrangements for these personnel, while Iranian officials in Tehran continue to oversee the broader response.
This movement of sailors and the repatriation of bodies underscore the wider regional repercussions stemming from the conflict involving Iran. Last week, Washington reportedly urged Colombo not to facilitate the repatriation of survivors from the Iranian vessels, reflecting the geopolitical sensitivities at play. Additionally, the ongoing war has severely disrupted maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments, following several attacks on vessels linked to Iran.
India, as the world’s third-largest consumer of oil, has been actively engaging with Iranian authorities to ensure the safe transit of Indian-affiliated ships through the strait, aiming to prevent a major energy crisis. In recent days, a limited number of vessels have been permitted passage, providing some relief to India’s energy supply chain. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has portrayed these developments as a diplomatic achievement, particularly significant ahead of upcoming state elections.
As the situation continues to evolve, the repatriation flight from Kochi symbolizes not only the human cost of the conflict but also the intricate diplomatic and security challenges faced by countries in the region. The delicate balance of maintaining regional stability while managing international pressures remains a critical concern for all parties involved.
