Six Lankan naval personnel killed by LTTE

Six Sri Lankan Naval personnel were killed and one was rescued when LTTE Sea Tigers attacked their vessel off the island's northern coast, a defence official said on Wednesday.

"Six Navy sailors have died and one has been rescued in an attack by the Sea Tigers off northern Thalaimannar," he said adding, the LTTE could have fired from a boat that posed as an Indian trawler.

Earlier, the Navy said in a statement that the naval wing of the LTTE may have been involved in the incident. "They often use the cover of Indian fishing boats to launch attacks on Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) vessels and craft," it said.

The LTTE mingle with Indian fishing boats to avoid detection and launch attacks endangering the lives of the Indian fishermen in the ensuing retaliatory fire, it said.

"LTTE sea tigers have a track record of hijacking Indian trawlers and boats to be used in attacks against the (Sri Lankan) Navy and to run clandestine arms smuggling activities across the Gulf of Mannar," it said.

The Navy said a boat that came along with a cluster of Indian fishing vessels had pretended to be in distress and requested assistance. When approached, the Navy personnel were fired upon, it added.

"SLN boats did not open retaliatory fire in order to avoid other Indian fishing boats being hit," it said adding, the Indian High Commission was apprised of the incident.

Indian intelligence officials questioned fishermen in Rameswaram to verify reports that their boats may have been used by the LTTE to attack a Sri Lankan Navy vessel.

Source: Indiatimes