Sea Tigers claim victory in naval battle off Pt. Pedro Coast
November 9th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Sea Tigers Division has claimed victory in a fierce naval battle off the Northern coast of Point Pedro.
The fighting occurred in the evening on Thursday November 9th about 4 nautical miles off the Pt. Pedro coast.
Two Dvora fast attack craft boats of the Navy were sunk while a third was severely damaged. Two black sea tiger suicide boats laden with explosives rammed into the boats.
LTTE Defence spokesperson on defence affairs Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan told the media that some vessels of the sea tigers were engaged in marine “training” exercises along the Nagar Kovil coast when a flotilla of eight Naval Dvora fast attack crafts moved close to the shore and attacked them.
This led to a fleet of twelve sea tiger boats engaging with the navy . The fleet had been ready for rapid deployment to protect the sea tiger boats involved in training exercises.
After a fierce sea skirmish the navy boats had retreated and proceeded towards Kankesanthurai. The sea tigers had given chase along with a few black sea tiger suicide boats.
The LTTE had engaged the navy again off Inbarutti along the Vadamaratchy coast. Three K-fir jet bombers and two Ukrainian Mi 24 helicopter gunships had lent air support to the navy.
A black sea tiger suicide vessel had rammed into the middle of a Dvora at 5. 35 pm. The boat had exploded and sunk rapidly.
Another explosive – laden black sea tiger boat had rammed into the back of a second fast attack craft. This had resulted in the boat catching fire.
With the sailors on board jumping off the ship a sea tiger squad had quickly climbed aboard.
The LTTE cadres had rapidly removed some equipment and weapons on the ship.
One 23 mm Cannon, five PK-LMGs, four 50 calibre guns and an Auto HK Grenade Launcher with ammunition were among the guns seized by the Sea Tigers.
The second Dvora already burning began sinking at 6. 05 pm.
A third Dvora sustained much damage in the fighting but was towed away by other Naval vessels to KKS.
The LTTE boats gave up the chase after aerial attacks by the Sri Lankan Air Force.
The LTTE retrieved the body of one SLN sailor.
Also four navy men were captured as prisoners of war.
The tigers are expected to hand over the sailor’s body to the ICRC in Kilinochchi shortly. Arrangements will also be made for the ICRC and SLMM representatives to visit the four navy men in LTTE custody.
At least twenty – six naval personnel were killed in the sea battle. The Navy has reported eighteen sailors as missing.
The LTTE says that five of their fighters including black sea tigers died in the clash.
Meanwhile the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has accused the LTTE of targeting the passenger ship “Green Ocean” carrying 308 civilians and security personnel. The navy boats giving protection to the ship were attacked by the LTTE it is charged.
The “Green Ocean” has reportedly docked safely at KKS it is said.
The LTTE has denied that the “Green Ocean” was attacked and said the ship was no where to be seen when the sea skirmish took place.
The charge about “Green Ocean” being targeted is only a red herring to deflect attention away from the negative publicity caused by the massacre of displaced Tamil civilians at the Kathiraweli refugee camp say the tigers.
The GOSL has also claimed that 22 of 26 LTTE boats were destroyed and that the remaining four had retreated .
The LTTE has refuted this claim and pointed out that the LTTE had captured four navy personnel alive and also taken away guns from the navy Dvora.
“Are these the actions of defeated and retreating sea tigers” the LTTE has asked rhetorically.
Sea Tiger special commander “Col’ Soosai has said that deputy sea tiger commander Cheliyan led the counter attack against the Sri Lanka navy off Pt. Pedro.
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