7/25/2007
(By Shamindra Ferdinando)

The Sri Lanka Navy had recovered 30 sea mines placed off Sea Tiger bases at Thalaiadi and Nayaru on the Mullaitivu coast.

SLN divers had braved rough waters to secure the monster mines placed by Sea Tigers as part of the measures to discourage Fast Attack Craft (FAC) from moving too close to the coast.

The recovery had been made during the final stages of the SLA's ground campaign in the Eastern Province. "We went into action in day light. SLN units involved in the mine clearing operation believe that Sea Tigers had not been aware of the action," an authoritative SLN spokesman said. According to him, the mines, each weighing about 30 Kgs, had been laid approximately 2Kms off the land.

Dubbed by the SLN as 'bulb bomb' it had been designed to explode when naval craft collide with it. "A single explosion would have been catastrophic," the official said.

Major Sea Tiger bases on the Mullaitivu coast are under constant naval monitoring. This is part of the SLN's strategy to prevent the enemy from launching a flotilla spearheaded by explosives laden craft to target naval movements. Based on intelligence provided by the SLN, the SLAF target Sea Tiger bases.

With the loss of major Sea Tiger launching pads on the eastern coast, their bases on the Mullaitivu and Mannar coast had come under increased SLN pressure.

The SLN had inflicted major losses on Sea Tigers recently with the capture of a 16 meter-long attack craft, believed to be built in an Indonesian dockyard equipped with Chinese armaments, being perhaps a decisive victory.