Navy foiled LTTE’s desperate attempt to smuggle arms

(December, 26, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka Guardian) The LTTE’s desperate attempt to smuggle arms to un-cleared areas in Mannar by boats was completely thwarted and foiled in the morning today, in the fierce sea battle erupted off south west of the Delft Island.

The sea tiger cadres had launched fifteen to seventeen craft, some with arms and ammunitions smuggled, being escorted by suicide craft and headed towards un-cleared area.

The navy had detected the impending attempt made by the LTTE and closed up for further surveillance.

In the eventual sea battle the navy engaged the LTTE craft in retaliation and four (04) attack type LTTE boats were completely destroyed along with another two suicide craft.

The augmented Air Force fire support too put the LTTE sea tiger cadres attempt in disarray.

However, dockyard built attack craft sustained damages when the suicide craft rammed on the naval boat which is now being towed.

Meanwhile , twelve (12) member crew, on board a merchant ship named MV Le Wing in peril that had been drifting for nearly fifteen (15) days about ninety (90) nautical miles off Arugambay in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, was rescued by the Navy on the Christmas day of 2007, according to SLN official statement.

“Sri Lanka Navy sailed an Off Shore Patrol Vessel with utmost dispatch in the night on 24th responding to this distress signal received,” it also said.

The twelve (12) member crew rescued were all Indonesian nationals.