Ten feared dead in Lanka Naval ship explosion

Colombo, Mar 22 : At least ten sailors were killed in a Sri Lankan Navy boat Fast Attack Craft explosion on Friday.

The boat sank in mid sea after hitting a sea mine in the eastern coast. The incident took place 50 miles towards north off the eastern port city of Trincomalee.

According to Defence sources, there were 16 sailors on the boat and six of them, including a naval officer, have been rescued.

Navy spokesperson Commander D.K.P. Dassanayake said that the explosion occurred as the Fast Attack Craft hit a sea mine.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has taken responsibility for the explosion.

"The LTTE had unscrupulously laid Sea Mines in a bid to avenge their repeated losses in the recent past," Dassanayake added.

ANI