SL Navy destroys LTTE arms vessel
"Matshusima" in high seas off Dondra Head
08th recent loss to LTTE arms fleet
Ministry of Defence, Public
Security, Law & Order
SL Navy today (07) destroyed another LTTE arms carrying
ship in the high seas 1,700 km off Dondra Head, the southern extremity
of Sri Lanka.
LTTE vessel identified as MV "Matshusima" was intercepted
and destroyed by Naval Task units after a long hot pursuit, security
sources said.
The 70 m long vessel had a displacement of 3,000 tons. There were 12
to 15 LTTE cadres on board the vessel at the time it was destroyed.
This is the 08th vessel of the LTTE's arms smuggling fleet destroyed
in recent months by the Sri Lanka Navy.
Reports said the vessel, part of the LTTE floating arms warehouse,
was believed to be transferring long range artillery rounds, high-speed
water scooters, sophisticated diving apparatus, outboard motors, radar
and global positioning (GPS) equipment, high power transmission equipment
and communications interception equipment for the proscribed terror
outfit.
After one and half day's surveillance of the vessel, the naval task
unit approached it around 5.30 this morning. The Navy gun-ships had
rounded up the suspicious vessel which had no ensign or name on it and
ordered it to identify itself, using international challenging procedures.
Instead of providing the information to the Navy, the suspicious ship
had opened medium range caliber gun fire towards the navy ships compelling
retaliation, causing the ship to be destroyed around 9.30a.m.
Naval Spokesperson Commander D.K.P Dassanayake said, the attack took
place in the Indian Ocean, at the high seas off Dondra Head. The SL
Naval task group comprising Off Shore Patrol vessels "SLNS Sayura",
"SLNS Sagara", Fast Attack Vessel "SLNS Suranimila"
, Rendezvous vessels 520 and 521 were engaged in this Naval operation,
the Naval Spokesperson further added.
Last month the Sri Lanka Navy destroyed three other arms carrying vessels
of the LTTE also in international waters off the south of Sri Lanka.
Defence observers say this is another major achievement by the Navy
at incapacitating LTTE's international arms smuggling fleet.
The Navy has recently been able to destroy seven arms carrying LTTE
ships, causing considerable damage to the LTTE's arms smuggling and
gun-running activities. Defence observers attribute the important successes
of the Navy in destroying large LTTE ships to the steps taken by the
Navy command to enhance naval intelligence activities.
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