2 SLN Dvora vessels sunk, one damaged in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 September 2006, 04:04 GMT]
Two Dvora Fast Attack Crafts were sunk and another damaged in the clashes that took place in the seas off Vadamaradchi Point Pedro Munai, Sri Lanka Navy sources in Jaffna said. The SLN sources claimed that they had destroyed several Sea Tiger vessels. Heavy fighting was reported from 9:00 p.m. Friday till 4:00 Saturday morning between the Sea Tigers and the Sri Lanka Navy.

The damaged Dvora FAC was towed back to Kankesanthurai (KKS) harbour, the sources added.

Around 30 SLN sailors were missing, the sources further said.

SLAF aircrafts and helicopters were observed conducting a search and rescue operation over the sea Saturday morning as addtional troops were rushed to the coastal areas.

The SLA troopers who temporarily vacated their posts along the coastal areas returned to their posts around 5:00 a.m. and the civilians who fled their houses were also seen returning to their houses around 7:00 a.m.