America. More than 100 non-essential sailors from the crew of an Iranian warship that arrived in Kochi earlier this month have been flown back to their country amid tensions between the two. However, this warship is still docked at the southern port of Kochi. Officials associated with this development said that these sailors were sent back on humanitarian grounds with the help of India on a Turkish Airlines flight late on Friday night.
Iranian warship was targeted by American submarine
It is being told that this warship (IRIS Lavan) was stationed in Colombo. In the same area, on March 4, an American submarine sank another Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, off the coast of Sri Lanka. The sailors sent back were crew members of the Iranian Navy ship IRIS Lavan. This ship had reached Kochi port on the same day when the incident of naval confrontation in the Indian Ocean came to light.
How many sailors are there in IRIS?
According to sources, initially a total of 183 people were present on this ship. After the departure of the non-essential sailors, now only about 50 sailors are left on the ship, who are handling the work related to operation and maintenance. Indian officials have been continuously monitoring the situation since the ship reached Kochi in view of the rapidly deteriorating situation between Tehran and Washington. Officials indicated that the presence of the Iranian warship in Kochi was being handled with caution. Besides, maritime rules and diplomatic sensitivities are also being taken into full consideration. The remaining members on the ship are still living there. However, it is not yet clear when this warship will depart from Indian waters. Maritime and security agencies are continuously monitoring this entire matter and the situation in the area.
