ICRC vessel to anchor off Pt.Pedro

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2000, 14:35 GMT]
The Java Gulf, the ship operated by the International Committee of the Red Cross for humanitarian and medical purposes between Trincomalee and Jaffna set sail around 6 p.m. Wednesday from the eastern port. Patients at the Jaffna teaching hospital who are in need of urgent medical attention will be evacuated tomorrow ICRC sources said. The Java Gulf will drop anchor off the Pt.Pedro jetty and not at the Kankesanthurai (KKS) harbour sources said.

The ship set sail after the security guarantees sought by the ICRC from the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers for the ship were obtained, a spokesman for the ICRC said.

The ICRC ship could not sail to KKS harbour on May 22 as it could not obtain the necessary security guarantees from the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government. The Tigers have been shelling the KKS harbour since May 19.