Iranian sailors treated in Sri Lanka after U.S. submarine strike kills 87

GALLE, Sri Lanka, March 5 — Iranian sailors who survived a U.S. submarine strike in the Indian Ocean were being treated at a hospital in the Sri Lankan port city of Galle, authorities said on Thursday, a day after at least 87 people were killed in the attack on the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena.Officials at the National Hospital in Galle and Sri Lankan navy sources said the bodies of 87 victims were brought to the facility by military rescuers who responded to an early-morning distress call from the vessel on Wednesday.Survivors receiving treatmentHospital authorities said a number of injured sailors were admitted for treatment following the rescue operation. Medical staff were providing care for survivors suffering from injuries sustained during the attack and subsequent rescue efforts.Sri Lankan officials did not immediately disclose the number of survivors being treated but confirmed that several wounded personnel had been transferred from naval rescue vessels to medical facilities in Galle.The Sri Lankan navy said it responded to a distress signal from the Iranian ship in waters of the Indian Ocean and dispatched units to assist in recovery operations. Rescuers transported casualties and survivors to the southern port city following the incident.Recovery operation underwayNavy sources said rescue teams continued recovery efforts after receiving the emergency call from the vessel early on Wednesday. Military personnel were involved in retrieving victims and assisting survivors found in the surrounding waters.Authorities said the bodies were brought to the National Hospital in Galle for identification and other procedures. Officials added that coordination was underway with relevant diplomatic authorities regarding the handling of the victims.The circumstances surrounding the strike were not immediately detailed by Sri Lankan authorities, who said their role focused on search-and-rescue operations following the distress call.Regional security tensionsThe incident occurred in the Indian Ocean, a major maritime route linking the Middle East with South and Southeast Asia and one that carries a significant share of global trade and energy shipments.Military analysts have noted that naval movements in the region have drawn heightened attention amid broader geopolitical tensions. However, officials in Sri Lanka did not comment on the wider security implications of the attack.Sri Lanka maintains diplomatic relations with both Iran and the United States and frequently provides logistical or humanitarian assistance to vessels in distress near its territorial waters.Authorities said further information would be released once recovery and identification procedures were completed.