LTTE cadres attack passenger vessel carrying 854 unarmed soldiers, successfully repulsed.

Munza Mushtaq in Colombo, August 1, 2006, 5.10 p.m.. The LTTE today afternoon fired mortar and artillery shells targeting a passenger vessel carrying 854 unarmed soldiers from Kankasanthurai, Trincomalee while she was entering the Trincomalee Harbour.

The naval troops successfully retaliated the terrorist attack and brought the passenger vessel and the unarmed security forces personnel unharmed. Three boats were destroyed in the process. The incident occurred at around 2.15 p.m.

Tigers failed in a similar type of attack when they targeted the passenger vessel Pearl Cruise which carried 710 unarmed security force personnel on May 11, 2006. Failing for the second time, terrorists later fired mortar and artillery towards the naval base, the centre added, but no immediate details of causalities were available.