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Flights disrupted in Colombo after LTTE air attack

B. Muralidhar Reddy

— Photo: AP

TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION: A fuel depot on the outskirts of Colombo on fire on Sunday after a suspected Tamil Tiger rebel aircraft dropped bombs on it.

COLOMBO: Flights at Sri Lanka's only international airport were disrupted after the Tiger plane attack on fuel depots on Colombo's outskirts. One passenger jet was turned back and several departing flights were delayed.

The Bandaranaike International Airport shares a runway with the nearby military base where warplanes are parked. It is believed that nine people were injured in the anti-aircraft fire.

Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva said. "We have identified the locations where those [Tiger] aircraft landed and have bombed them successfully within hours."

According to a Sunday English paper, an hour after the attack, there was widespread apprehension that the aircraft had returned. It, however, turned out to be a commercial airliner. "The pilot is reported to have complained to the airport authorities at Katunayake about the firing. However, the aircraft was not hit," it said.

PTI reports:

Lanka IOC Managing Director K Ramakrishnan said: ``it is a very bad thing, whether the company is owned by the Indian Government or Sri Lanka. Fortunately nothing much happened and we will be operating without any disturbance.''

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