Overview
- Sri Lanka handed over 84 recovered bodies to Iranian officials after a court order, and an Iranian‑chartered aircraft loaded the remains at Mattala before departure.
- The plane then landed in Kochi late Friday to take most of the 183 sailors from IRIS Lavan, with a smaller crew staying aboard to maintain the ship, according to Indian officials.
- Indian authorities said the charter also carried several stranded Iranian nationals, and reports indicated the flight would transit to Armenia with overland travel to Iran.
- Sri Lanka continues to host 32 rescued Dena sailors and the crew of IRIS Bushehr under humanitarian and neutrality arrangements, with further decisions pending consular consultations.
- India’s foreign minister described granting safe harbour and facilitating departures as a humanitarian decision, while Reuters reported Washington had urged Colombo not to return survivors.