Relatives to visit Lion Air graves
[TamilNet, Monday, 23 November 1998, 09:48 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers are to hand over the wreckage of the Lion Air passenger plane which crashed into the sea off the north western coast of the main land, sources in Vanni said.
The LTTE has collected the pieces of the ill fated plane from the fishermen of the area who had recovered them whilst fishing in the area few days after the crash. The LTTE are also expected to hand over the few Identity cards and bank books recovered which are assumed to be properties of the deceased in the plane crash to the relatives. Thirty nine passengers on board and the crew were killed. Some bodies which floated to the coasts at Iranaithivu, Naachchikudah and Pallikudah areas were recovered by the residents and fishermen were all cremated on the beach itself. Sources in Vanni said other recovered bodies have been buried in marked places at a depth of 4 feet. Meanwhile, Virakesari, the Tamil Daily published in Colombo said in its lead story on Sunday 22 November that the Bishop of Mannar, Rt.Rev.Rayappu Joseph is ready to make arrangements for the relatives to visit the graves of the Lion Air crash victims in the Vanni. He has said that anyone wants to visit, can contact him. However, sources in the Vanni also said that the Virakesari's story of the bodies having been identified was incorrect. Unconfirmed reports said that some of the relatives of the Lion Air victims are planning to file a case against the company as part of their insurance claim.
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