LTTE vessel identified as MV "Matshusima" was intercepted and destroyed by Naval Task units after a long hot pursuit, security sources said.

The 70 m long vessel had a displacement of 3,000 tons. There were 12 to 15 LTTE cadres on board the vessel at the time it was destroyed. This is the 08th vessel of the LTTE's arms smuggling fleet destroyed in recent months by the Sri Lanka Navy.

Reports said the vessel, part of the LTTE floating arms warehouse, was believed to be transferring long range artillery rounds, high-speed water scooters, sophisticated diving apparatus, outboard motors, radar and global positioning (GPS) equipment, high power transmission equipment and communications interception equipment for the proscribed terror outfit.

After one and half day's surveillance of the vessel, the naval task unit approached it around 5.30 this morning. The Navy gun-ships had rounded up the suspicious vessel which had no ensign or name on it and ordered it to identify itself, using international challenging procedures. Instead of providing the information to the Navy, the suspicious ship had opened medium range caliber gun fire towards the navy ships compelling retaliation, causing the ship to be destroyed around 9.30a.m.

Naval Spokesperson Commander D.K.P Dassanayake said, the attack took place in the Indian Ocean, at the high seas off Dondra Head. The SL Naval task group comprising Off Shore Patrol vessels "SLNS Sayura", "SLNS Sagara", Fast Attack Vessel "SLNS Suranimila" , Rendezvous vessels 520 and 521 were engaged in this Naval operation, the Naval Spokesperson further added.

Last month the Sri Lanka Navy destroyed three other arms carrying vessels of the LTTE also in international waters off the south of Sri Lanka.

Defence observers say this is another major achievement by the Navy at incapacitating LTTE's international arms smuggling fleet.

The Navy has recently been able to destroy seven arms carrying LTTE ships, causing considerable damage to the LTTE's arms smuggling and gun-running activities. Defence observers attribute the important successes of the Navy in destroying large LTTE ships to the steps taken by the Navy command to enhance naval intelligence activities.