Sri Lanka hospital discharges 22 Iranian sailors rescued after warship sinking

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseMarch 8, 2026 at 07:30 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Twenty-two Iranian sailors were discharged from a Sri Lankan hospital after being rescued from life rafts following the sinking of their warship, the IRIS Dena. The incident occurred just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters, reportedly after the ship was torpedoed by a US submarine. The sailors had been receiving treatment at Karapitiya Hospital in Galle since Wednesday. Ten other sailors remain hospitalized, while the bodies of 84 Iranians recovered from the Indian Ocean are also being held at the hospital. Discharged sailors have been moved to a beach resort, and Sri Lankan authorities are working with the International Committee of the Red Cross to manage the situation according to international humanitarian law.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Galle 50% Indian Ocean 50% International Committee of the Red Cross 60% Karapitiya Hospital 60% United States 70% IRIS Dena ×270% Iran 80% Sri Lanka ×390%

Keywords

iranian sailors 100% warship sinking 90% sri lanka 80% hospital discharge 70% iris dena 60% rescue 60% indian ocean 50% international humanitarian law 50% us submarine 40%