Probe on sinking of navy vessel in Trinco

An undersea explosion which sank the navy’s cargo ship MV Invincible in the Trinco harbour early yesterday is being probed by the authorities, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.

He said the navy was not yet certain whether it was a terrorist act that sank the vessel which was berthed at the Ashraff Jetty and had a skeleton crew on board for routine operational purposes when the explosion occurred around 2.15 a.m.The Navy said there were no casualties and no other property was damaged.

Meanwhile the pro LTTE website TamilNet claimed that Sea Tiger commandos carried out the under water attack when the supply vessel was being loaded with explosives to be transported to Kankesanthurai Harbour in Jaffna. The Navy said the vessel built in 1971 was handed over to it by a court order after it had been seized by authorities while transporting some 250 illegal migrants off Tangalle in 2003.

Meanwhile the Media Centre for National Security said eight soldiers were killed and 12 wounded in the Alamkulam area in Mannar on Friday.

The Centre also said that 33 LTTE cadres were killed and 45 injured during the massive assault in which nearly one square kilometre of land under the LTTE was captured by the Army.

The bodies of five soldiers reported missing after the clashes were handed over to the ICRC.