Navy to salvage Lion Air wreckage

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Navy said arrangements are in place to salvage the wreckage of a passenger plane shot down by the LTTE 14 years ago in the Northern seas. Navy Media Spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasooriya said the wreckage of the plane will be salvaged by October 31.

Navy divers traced the wreckage on the sea bed following information provided by the Police Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) based on a statement made by a former LTTE cadre who is in custody.

The Navy searched the seabed on a TID request and located the wreckage of the Lion Air domestic passenger plane.

"On the request of the TID, the Navy surveyed the sea bed off Iranativu Island in the Northern sea and located parts of the wreckage of a plane," the Navy spokesman said.

The Lion Air flight 602 from Palaly to Ratmalana carrying 48 civilians and eight crew including two Ukrainian pilots went missing on September 29, 1998 over the Northern seas.

It was believed that terrorists in a missile attack, shot down Antonov 26 over Iranativu Island, 10 minutes after it took off from Palaly.