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11 sailors missing after Sri Lanka blast: military source

Saturday, 22 March 2008 - 9:29 AM SL Time

COLOMBO (AFP) - A Sri Lankan navy craft was destroyed in a sea mine blast off the island`s north-eastern coast Saturday, leaving at least 11 sailors missing, a military source said.

Five sailors from the fast attack craft (FAC) were rescued by another boat patrolling the waters off the Tamil Tiger stronghold of Mullaitivu district, the source said.

``A survivor said his FAC started taking in water after a huge explosion,`` said the source, who declined to be named.

``They managed to get into a life raft which was picked up by another FAC in the area.``

A search was under way for the other 11 crewmen after the pre-dawn blast, which occurred as the attack craft were patrolling for suspected Tamil rebel activity.

Clashes between suspected Tamil Tiger ships and the Sri Lankan navy have escalated in recent months amid heavy fighting in the island`s northern and eastern regions.

In February, suspected Tamil Tiger rebels sank a speedboat near the maritime border with India, leaving five sailors missing.

More than 5,400 people have been killed in a new wave of fighting since December 2005 when a Norwegian-brokered truce began to unravel.

Source(s)
AFP

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Berty Senior Member Joined: May 2006 Posts: 17552 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 03:40:47 GMT Report for Abuse
	Revy Thambi I saw this article but it says a MINE blast..something to be confirmed..

Revy Senior Member Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 11888 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 03:58:09 GMT Report for Abuse
	Yeah these are the two theories now, mine or black tiger attack, most sources say mine, but they are merely citing the Defence ministry. While Defencewire agrees with the blacktiger story. Time will tell.

AnuD Senior Member Joined: May 2005 Posts: 21197 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 04:09:17 GMT Report for Abuse
	REVY: If you believe story of a MINE,they you have to consider the death of 03 sea tigers as a lie. As there was no attack, assuming the death of 03 sea tigers is also true, what would your conclusion be ????????

Berty Senior Member Joined: May 2006 Posts: 17552 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 04:11:33 GMT Report for Abuse
	AnuD According to Tamilnet it was an Sea Tiger suicide bomb attack.. Other news it is a mine attack If Tamilnet is correct then it is not a lie 3 sea tigers died

Aani Senior Member Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 4196 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 04:41:16 GMT Report for Abuse
	Victims' of their own min(d)es? Knowing the LTTE they are capable of deploying frogmen to retrieve navy mines and reposition them against the navy:))

AnuD Senior Member Joined: May 2005 Posts: 21197 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 04:51:56 GMT Report for Abuse
	Victims' of their own min(d)es? Knowing the LTTE they are capable of deploying frogmen to retrieve navy mines and reposition them against the navy:)) This contradicts what tamilnut says. How come then 03 tamils got killed.

Revy
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22 Mar 2008 05:13:00 GMT Report for Abuse

As there was no attack, assuming the death of 03 sea tigers is also true, what would your conclusion be ????????

Remember defence.lk also said possible new weapon, don't forget the LTTE had underwater waterjet type craft with explosives attached, so a rmote possibility it was somethin like this.

However I think it unlikely they would use that in open water, too much randomness to get a fast moving patrol boat. More likely those devices would be used for ships in port.

So as I say I don't know who is correct, after all I think it would be much better if it was a mine as opposed to sacrificing 3 more of our people.

Robins Senior Member Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8524 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 07:22:54 GMT Report for Abuse
	11 sailors gone fishing?

eskimo06 Senior Member Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 2283 Member Profile	22 Mar 2008 15:55:08 GMT Report for Abuse
	Attack was carried out by Eelam aircraft carrier Pirapaharan.

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