Sri Lanka provides medical help and repatriates 40 Iranian sailors stranded in the Indian Ocean

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka has responded to a distress call and provided medical help to 40 Iranian sailors from ships anchored close to the island’s waters before repatriating them to Tehran, a spokesperson said Sunday.

The sailors were brought to the island’s southern port of Galle on Saturday after Sri Lankan authorities received a distress call seeking medical help, said Thushara Rodrigo, the foreign ministry spokesperson.

He said he doesn’t have details about which ships the sailors came from. He said they were transported to the shore by vessels arranged by the Iranian Embassy and local shipping agents. The ministry handled the immigration and institutional formalities.

After initial medical treatment, they left Sri Lanka early Sunday, added Rodrigo.

The Iranian oil tankers have been anchored off Sri Lanka for the past several months after the U.S. resumed its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving dozens of Iranian vessels stranded and unable to return home.

The plight of these sailors has been a growing issue over the past weeks after Sri Lankan authorities acknowledged that there were 19 ships stationed about 24 nautical miles from its coast and that they have reported shortages of food, water and fuel.

Two weeks ago, the Sri Lankan government said it had no immediate plans to help the ships, saying that Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and the companies that supply ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States.

This latest development comes nearly seven months after a U.S. torpedo attack sank Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena , killing 87 sailors.

The ship was returning home after taking part in a naval exercise on invitation from India. A second Iranian ship was brought to a Sri Lankan port after its crew reported technical problems.

The wounded sailors who were treated in Sri Lankan hospitals and those rescued from the second ship were safely repatriated back to Iran.

Sri Lanka is emerging from an economic crisis and both the U.S. and Iran are crucial trading partners. The U.S. played an important role in assisting with an International Monetary Fund bailout deal and helping the agricultural sector to avert a food crisis.