The civilian vessel seized off Arugambay on suspicion of arms smuggling.by Defencewire
(December, 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) One Ultra Fast Attack Craft (UFACII) was destroyed and another damaged in the fierce fight that erupted between SLN Patrol Craft and 16 Sea Tiger Boats Between Delft Island and Mannar this morning. The cluster of 16 Sea Tiger boats included 6 suicide boats and were en route to a Sea Tiger hideout in Nachchikuda, Near Veduthalthivu- Mannar. One suicide boat managed to ram into the CDL manufactured UFAC destroying it completely. At least 12 officers and naval ratings were on board at the time. The body of one officer was later recovered while two ratings were rescued alive by Search and Rescue teams. The objective of the attack was to destroy a Dvora FAC or a UFAC.
Photo: CDL-built UFAC III in actionMeanwhile further confirmation of the injuries to LTTE Leader Pripaharan is revealed in the logs maintained by the pilots who flew the mission over Kilinochchi on the 28th. According to them, unusually heavy AA resistance was experienced during the raid over the Kilinochchi suburb. Contrary to a civilian defence columnist, no SAM missiles were fired at the supersonic jets that made a dive-bombing run on the safehouse. The tail of one of the jets was slightly clipped by AA fire when the jet reduced speed to about 600kmph for the dive. This unusual resistance from AA batteries has further confirmed the presence of Pripaharan. It is only customary for the LTTE to station such batteries near his safehouses in fear of aerial bombings and decapitation strikes by the SLAF. The other material proliferating about Pripaharan's purported transfer to a foreign country for medical treatment is largely unverified.
According to Navy sources, Sri Lanka Navy sailed an Off Shore Patrol Vessel with utmost dispatch in the night on 24th responding to this distress signal received and rescued the ship’s crew; and brought to the Colombo harbour in the morning today. Therafter they were handed over to the Indonesian Embassy as they were all Indonesian nationals.
DefenceWire has also received information that the civilian vessel seized off Arugambay on suspicion of arms smuggling has been released following thorough investigations.
Update (27/12/2007)
It is now confirmed that one CDL manufactured Ultra Fast Attack Craft (UFAC) was destroyed and a Dvora MK.II FAC was damaged in yesterday's sea battle between the SLN and the Sea Tigers near Delft Island. Contrary to rumours, the damaged Dvora FAC was safely towed to the Kankesanthurai (KKS) harbour. The boat is in a repairable condition.
The UFAC (P413) completely disintegrated in the blast killing its 1IC Lieutenant Commander Lalith Ekanayake. His deputy (2IC) has gone missing along with 9 others. Two sailors were later rescued by Search and Rescue teams. Two more sailors are believed to have been captured by the Sea Tigers. Sources indicated that the LTTE maybe mum over this issue after failing to notify the ICRC of their capture.
Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Air Force bombed a pre-identified Sea Tiger training base at Elamulaivikal in Mullaithivu. Damaged caused to the Sea Tigers is still unverified.
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