LTTE aircraft pieces, lathe machines found

The skeletal parts and several partly-burnt pieces of a fuselage and a rotor blade of a helicopter that could have been experimented by LTTE terrorists, apparently for their clandestine aerial operations were among the latest startling wreckage emerged from the newly captured areas in Waddaikachchi on Wednesday, ground troops confirmed.

Those parts, some of which had been mounted on logs, probably for practical testing operations had been torched before the terrorists had vacated the area as the troops were rolling on. Pieces of literature with aerial maps, engineering sketches, aircraft engineering plans and manuals, in addition to foreign brochures with model light aircraft pictures etc were also found.

These items were recovered by troops from the adjacent workshop type huts that lay to the south of Waddaikachchi jungle.

Lathe machines, aluminium sheets, motor engine parts, nuts and bolts and a stock of other similar tools and accessories were among the items uncovered by the troops on search operations.