'MV Bintan' sails again

Rasika Somarathna

The Sea freighter 'MV Bintan', which came under LTTE artillery attack off the seas of Puttumattalan, Mullaitivu, last Monday March 9, while unloading 500 MT of food, would set sail again tomorrow morning to the same destination, with a bigger cargo of 700 MT of food for the displaced.

Navy Spokesman, Commander D.K.P.Dassanayake yesterday confirmed to the 'Daily News' that the ship would set sail again to Puttumattalan, just one week after it came under LTTE artillery fire.

On the last occasion the ship carried 500 MT of food to be distributed among the displaced living in the safe zone.

This was also considered as the biggest single shipment dispatched to the uncleared areas to date, by sea.

On the last occasion small boats were used to carry food from the ship to the shores of Puttumattalan. When it came under attack only 142 MT was unloaded, and the Captain had to take the freighter to deeper seas to ensure safety. The ship was not damaged in the incident, and later it unloaded it's full cargo and had returned back to the base in Trincomalee on Friday, the Navy Spokesman added.

Thus the 'MV Bintan' carrying a fresh cargo of 700 MT for the displaced, is set to sail with special security measures in place.