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The Sri Lankan government has announced the repatriation of Iranian sailors who were killed when an Iranian warship was taken out by a US submarine.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: In the initial days of the conflict with Iran, the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena was sunk in the Indian Ocean after being hit by a torpedo fired from a US submarine. The vessel, a modern Iranian warship that had been participating in multinational naval exercises hosted by India, was sailing in international waters roughly 25 miles off the southern coast of Sri Lanka when it was attacked. The strike caused a catastrophic explosion that lifted the ship’s stern.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Sri Lanka has confirmed it handed over the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who died when the IRIS Dena sank earlier this month. Officials said around 130 sailors were believed to have been aboard the frigate at the time of the attack, with 32 rescued by the Sri Lankan navy after the ship went down. The recovered bodies were transferred under police escort to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, where they were loaded onto a chartered aircraft sent by Iran and flown home after local authorities completed autopsies and legal procedures.

Sri Lankan officials said the 32 survivors remain in Sri Lanka for the time being and have not yet been repatriated. Many were initially hospitalised after being pulled from the water, though most have since been discharged. Authorities say the sailors are now being held at a Sri Lankan air force base in the south of the island, where they are being accommodated while the government consults with Iranian officials on next steps.

This all comes as a second Iranian warship, the IRIS Bushehr, entered Sri Lankan waters shortly after the attack after reporting engine problems, prompting Sri Lanka to allow the vessel to dock and provide safe harbor while its navy works to repair the malfunctioning engine. The ship’s 219 crew members were taken ashore and are being housed at a navy facility while the vessel remains under Sri Lankan control. Meanwhile, a third Iranian warship, the IRIS Lavan, is docked in the southern Indian port of Kochi, where its 183 crew members are being accommodated at Indian naval facilities after New Delhi said the ship was allowed to enter port for humanitarian reasons following reported technical issues.