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Two airlines take cover as LTTE strikes again
Monday, 30 April 2007 - 10:12 AM SL Time
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The air Tiger attack on Colombo yesterday triggered panic among international air travel and multinational business establishments here with two main airlines suspending flights to Sri Lanka.
Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa held extensive talks with chiefs of the three-armed forces and police to ascertain how the Tiger aircraft found the way in and out of Colombo, despite tight air defense security.
They discussed future measures to counter any such air attack of the Tigers, a top defense ministry official said.
Emirates and Hong Kong`s flag carrier Cathay Pacific have suspended their operations to Colombo with effect from yesterday, officials of the airlines said.
`In view of the situation in Colombo, all Emirates flights have been suspended till further notice. The situation is subject to review after 24 hours,` the spokesman for the Dubai based airline said.
However he said the airline plans to operate a relief flight for any stranded passengers.
`Following the aerial attacks on Saturday, Cathay Pacific`s decision to resume flights is currently under review,` a spokesman for the Cathay Pacific said.
During the LTTE air raid Tiger air craft dropped improvised explosive devices on oil refinery owned jointly by the Sri Lanka Government and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at Kolonnawa and Shell Gas storage facility at Muthurajawela. According to reports no major damages have been caused to both facilities.
Air Force Spokesman Ajantha Silva said after the radar system of the airport detected the two unidentified aircraft moving towards the south of the country, they activated air defense systems at Ratmalana, and other strategically important places in the city.
Group Captain Silva said Air force jet aircraft struck an identified LTTE target in Killinochchi near the Iranamadu Tiger airstrip yesterday around 5.35 a.m.
`We bombed identified locations near the Iranamadu airtrip which we believe houses the hanger of the Tigers Air craft,` he said.
He also said at around 1.00 am Air Force Jets hit another LTTE target in Vishwamadau, east of Iranamadu.
IOC said the latest attack was a bad sign. `Fortunately, nothing much happened and we will be operating without any disturbance,` IOC Managing Director K. Ramakrishnan told a news agency.
However Shell Gas company said Tiger air raids were not aimed at its terminals or the oil. `This is a new development. Shell always comes in for the long haul. The company is evaluating this situation because we do not believe the attack was aimed at us,` Shell Gas finance director Rimoe Saldin said.
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Suranimala
Joined: Nov 2005
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30 Apr 2007 08:07:04 GMT Report for Abuse
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If this trend continues we will be only left with MIHIN AIR to fly in & out of Sri Lanka.
Other Altenatives:
1.Take Ship/Boat
2.Walk & Swim (Adam's Bridge)to India and then travel overland..
3.Make flying objects with that Idiot's red towel(or the sarong for that matter)
4. Inflate mahinda and use as baloon....
more suggestions welcomed... |
Imperator
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30 Apr 2007 08:27:03 GMT Report for Abuse
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more suggestions welcomed...
Continuing from the points already provided:
5. The Tigers can buy a jumbo or two and use it as a carrier. They could call it Eelam Air (yes, I know this is ambiguous...you can interpret it as you wish), with a winged tiger as a logo. Slogan: 'Better than the marathon.' In fact, they should buy a few A380's just because of their sheer size to spite SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka.
6. Get a few hot air balloons, with the hot air being readily provided by ministers, MPs and good old Tamilselvan.
7. Forget about planes. Invest in catapults and trebuchets. |
MI5UK
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30 Apr 2007 09:37:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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more suggestions welcomed...
Have all flights to and from colombo take place from Madras.
To/from madras - we all can take boats.
All passenger flights will be safe. Then LTTE and SLAF can try their power w/o endangering civilians. |
mageychintana
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30 Apr 2007 19:43:43 GMT Report for Abuse
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| How nice.. This should definitely provide the tourism industry with a sudden boom. |
DVLADV
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30 Apr 2007 20:40:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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.... .
Edited By - DVLADV - 30 Apr 2007 20:56:37 GMT |
anizam
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30 Apr 2007 21:30:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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more suggestions welcomed...
OR just UNPLUG the economy from the rest of the world!
Then we dont have any sort of connection with the rest of the world. Then no need to go anywhere else. We will be the most developed and Advanaced country in our own little world!! :) -
There are some people who already have this mentality. They think we are the most advanaced civilization ever and everyone else in the world is sooo jelous the international community wants to divide the country. So why not????
I think my point is the BEST so far!!
PS:
3.Make flying objects with that Idiot's red towel(or the sarong for that matter)
Just like Aladins Magic Carpet???? Wow - i have always wanted to fly in Aladins Magic Carpet. So far that is the best suggestion.. Cant wait!! When can we expect this to happen? soon i hope!
Edited By - anizam - 30 Apr 2007 22:52:15 GMT |
DVLADV
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30 Apr 2007 21:38:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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Create a new slogan for adventure tourism.
Experience the excitement Somalia, Baghdad, Bangkok and Ethiopia combined with great sunshine and the beauty of the hills and golden beaches.
If this fails to attract tourists it will at-least attract terrorist from around the world at least on short vacations as they will not feel out of place. |
KURAL
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30 Apr 2007 21:53:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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We bombed identified locations near the Iranamadu airtrip which we believe houses the hanger of the Tigers Air craft,' he said.
Now LTTE should bomb civilians houses believing that it is military installation !!
Government of idiots !! The main reason for this ethnic war is not LTTE but the BRAINLESS barbaric successive Sri lankan government !
When they bombed the orphanage do they too 'believed' that it housed military ?? What humanity less pity nation is this failed Sri lanka, which is governed by a majority who don't care about minorities !
True as the Sun.
Simple question for 'descent' Sinhalas, how many times do your air force bombed Iranamadu pretending that they will bomb the runaway and the total Tiger's air capacity ??
Descently, i answer a lot of times. It is another ultimate proof that Sri lanka government and majority don't care about Tamil innocents. They just want us to be erased of the map.
True as the Universe.
Thank God, LTTE have air-defence in Iranamadu !
Edited By - KURAL - 30 Apr 2007 21:58:50 GMT |
dravid
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30 Apr 2007 22:02:32 GMT Report for Abuse
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| If potentially more airlines pull out or limit service tourism will go down the drain. Potentially investors will pull out as well. The stock market imho should be targeted when it is closed and therefore empty of civilians. This way the perception of the tanking economy with inflation will trigger an economic collapse of sorts... Apparently the gov budget is based on faulty stats and so money needs to come from somewhere... or else =) |
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