Tiger aircraft flee as air defence comes into play

Rasika SOMARATHNA

COLOMBO: The Air Force pounded identified LTTE targets in the Iranamadu area last morning in the aftermath of the failed attempt by the Tigers to bomb two fuel facilities in Colombo using two light aircraft.

The incident which occurred around 1.50 a.m. on Sunday, came as the Sri Lankans watched the World Cup final in the West Indies.

Air Force sources describing the attack as a total failure, said Tiger aircraft equipped with four improvised bombs, had missed their intended targets, as the Forces activated the air defence systems.

Two bombs aimed at fuel dumps in the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC) oil installations in Kolonnawa had fallen harmlessly in a nearby marshy land.

Another LTTE aircraft had dropped two more bombs on an LPG Gas facility in Muthurajawela causing minor damage.

One bomb had fallen on the fire hut which housed fire fighting equipment, resulting in a blaze which however was quickly brought under control.

The other bomb had fallen on a water pipeline and the damage was minor, sources said. No casualties were reported at both sites.

The city was plunged into a total blackout for about two hours, as the Forces activated the air defence systems in strategic locations in and around the city.

The Defence Ministry has introduced tough security measures, where the city would be brought under a blackout at short notice to repulse such attacks.

Operating of back up power plants too are not permitted at such times.

Air Force sources said that they had received information of the two rebel air craft approaching the western coastal area when they were 20 nautical miles away.

After activating the air defence systems, the SLAF aircraft were air borne as a defensive action which prompted the two LTTE aircraft to fly away without achieving its objectives.

The Government in a statement said that they were fully capable of meeting any challenges from the LTTE, and reassured the nation that all effective steps would be taken to ensure the safety of the people.