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Sunken ship was carrying arms, ammunition: LTTE

A Sri Lankan cargo vessel carrying arms and ammunition was destroyed and an Israeli-made gunboat seriously damaged by the Sea Tigers (naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). Ten naval personnel and six Tigers were killed in the encounter, an LTTE statement claimed.

The statement, issued from its London headquarters, said a flotilla of Sea Tiger gunboats intercepted a convoy of Dvora naval ships escorting the merchant vessel MV Merces Uhana carrying a cargo of arms and ammunition.

A fierce naval battle broke out in the high seas, 50 nautical miles from Point Pedro. In the midst of the battle, which lasted eight hours, a Sea Tiger gunboat, laden with explosives, rammed into the cargo vessel that caught fire and was completely destroyed.

A Sri Lankan government spokesman, however, said the merchant vessel was carrying food and other essential items from Colombo to Jan. He categorically denied that the vessel was carrying arms and ammunition. He said after the vessel caught fire, 21 sailors were rescued but seven were missing.

This is the first major encounter between naval troops and the LTTE in the last three weeks.

UNI

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