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1996 Attack on Colombo Harbour

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861:, the duty officer at the Operations Room, Lieutenant Siriwardhana, ordered two small patrol craft to proceed to investigate and notified the DSO. One of the patrol craft confirmed the presence of a frogman to the Operations Room and engaged him with explosives. As the underwater threat was eliminated, the naval sentry at the radar point reported an unauthorised boat was attempting to enter the harbour. Siriwardhana ordered the two small patrol craft to intercept, even though only one of the craft had a main armament. As the two boats and the sentry engaged the unauthorised boat, the Black Sea Tigers fired 837: 25: 147: 158: 877:, had been moored at the Rangala pier and had been taken out under the command of Lieutenant D.K.P. Dassanayake, Staff Officer, Harbour Defence in the absence of its Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Manoj Jayasuriya with DSO West Lieutenant Commander Wijetunga who had come on board. A salvo from 927:
killing the two, followed by a fishing boat that entered the harbour firing machine guns and RPG. Ashraff stated that the port would return to normal operations that afternoon, however the attack highlighted the risk LTTE posed to the Sri Lankan economy. In January 1996, the LTTE Black Tigers carried
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berthed the Queen Elisabeth Quay. The LTTE International Secretariat in London issued two statements on 13 April 1996 claiming that Black Sea Tigers had carried out the raid and had destroyed three fast attack craft and three supply vessels in Colombo harbour. Following the attack, the Sri Lankan
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received an anonymous call stating that a merchant ship outside the Colombo harbour was being boarded by sea pirates. The call was received by the duty officer, who alerted the duty staff officer (DSO) (West) and deployed two inshore patrol craft (IPC) to the two entrances to the Colombo harbour
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At 5:45 am a naval sentry at the pilot station detected underwater movement and called it in. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority later claimed that two of its boatmen had made the initial detection off the Jaya Container Terminal Stage One. At this time, none of the senior officers of SLNS
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was destroyed when it intercepted and struck an LTTE suicide craft attacking a navy troop transport off the coast of Northern Sri Lanka, its commanding officer Lieutenant
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was being loaded at the Rangala pier number 1 with military cargo, while another ship was unloading LP gas near the guide pier. By dawn, one of the IPCs had withdrawn.
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Following the raid the navy claimed six LTTE cadres were killed, including two frogmen, while several merchant ships were damaged by LTTE RPG fire, which included the
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were available, leaving Lieutenant Commander L.R.N.A. Wijetunga, DSO West the senior most officer. As the alert was received at the Command Operations Room at SLNS
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government increased security around its harbours and banned fishing close to the harbour to prevent the LTTE from mingling with the fishing boats.
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After months of reconnaissance by LTTE intelligence wing, the LTTE carried out a raid on the 12 April 1996, when the country was celebrating the
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in Colombo's business district killing 150 people and injuring thousands during the morning rush hour badly effecting tourism in Sri Lanka.
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blew up the LTTE craft that the navy suspected to have been laden with high explosives and contained five persons.
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detected two LTTE frogmen entering the harbour around 5:45 am, sentries fired at the frogmen and dropped
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resulting in the deaths of over 100 service personal in a few days. Responding government of President
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jet fighters for the SLAF to be unloaded at the Jaya Container Terminal, along with MV
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with a military cargo for unloading at the Bandaranaike quay. The Sri Lanka Navy's
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to Lieutenant Commander L.R.N.A. Wijetunga. In January 2007, the LTTE attempted
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engaged the LTTE craft without direction from the Command Operations Room.
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3 Fast Attack Craft and 3 supply vessels destroyed (according to the LTTE)
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in December 1995. Having lost Jaffna, the LTTE withdrew to jungles of the
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suspecting a possible LTTE infiltration. The Sri Lanka cargo ship MV
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The LTTE ended a short-lived Norwegian-backed peace negotiation when
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4 merchant ships damage (according to the Sri Lankan media)
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Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks in Eelam War III
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docked at the Jaya Container Terminal 1 Pier and the
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At this point the Dvora fast attack craft 785:, the highest medal for gallantry in Sri Lanka. 83: 758:, moved to suppress the LTTE by capturing the 1033:"Lieutenant Jude Wijethunge (Sri Lanka Navy)" 536: 234: 8: 982: 980: 978: 976: 974: 692:, which is the primary commercial port in 543: 529: 521: 241: 227: 219: 80: 809:was expected arrive with a cargo of four 69:Learn how and when to remove this message 1184:Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1996 32:This article includes a list of general 970: 942:another attack on the Colombo harbour 213:killed (according to the SL Military) 7: 1085:"Sri Lanka sinks boats in 'attack'" 930:suicide attack on the Central Bank 38:it lacks sufficient corresponding 14: 1164:Naval battles involving Sri Lanka 616:Battle of Kanakarayankulam (1997) 686:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 163:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 156: 145: 23: 1012:. ACIG Journal. 29 October 2003 712:unit carried out a raid on the 1209:Terrorist incidents in Colombo 1058:Blacker, David (3 June 2012). 903:moored at the Guide Pier, the 896:moored at the North Pier, the 300:Bombings and terrorist attacks 1: 1194:Suicide bombings in Sri Lanka 781:was posthumously awarded the 853:and Executive Officer, SLNS 430:Central Bus Station bombing 16:Suicide attack in Sri Lanka 1225: 1169:Maritime incidents in 1996 1179:April 1996 events in Asia 959:Raid on Alexandria (1941) 863:rocket-propelled grenades 783:Parama Weera Vibhushanaya 674:Attack on Colombo Harbour 560: 260: 198: 181: 168: 139: 96: 88: 84:Attack on Colombo Harbour 1199:Suicide bombings in 1996 770:. On 30 March 1996, the 1174:20th century in Colombo 1010:"Sri Lanka, since 1971" 954:Attack on Galle Harbour 938:Rana Wickrama Padakkama 772:Dvora fast attack craft 189:1 inshore patrol craft, 53:more precise citations. 915:Following the attack, 841: 500:Dehiwala train bombing 305:Other military attacks 295:Battles and operations 169:Commanders and leaders 840:SLN fast attack craft 839: 756:Chandrika Kumaratunga 386:Massacre of policemen 199:Casualties and losses 875:Fast Attack Flotilla 612:Thandikulam–Omanthai 565:Sooraya and Ranasuru 495:Central Bank bombing 440:Kent and Dollar Farm 396:Air Lanka Flight 512 391:1991 Kokkadichcholai 252:Sri Lankan Civil War 194:6 in 1 suicide craft 191:2 small patrol boats 187:1 fast attack craft, 91:Sri Lankan civil war 1039:on 15 December 2012 733:Sri Lanka Air Force 680:carried out by six 275:Indian intervention 209:1 boat exploded, 6 1189:Frogman operations 944:with three boats. 905:Sea Land Endeavour 842: 795:Sinhalese New Year 764:Operation Riviresa 750:acquired from the 627:Kilinochchi (1998) 505:1989 Valvettiturai 465:Lionair Flight 602 406:Aluth Oya massacre 376:Eastern University 356:1985 Valvettiturai 174:L.R.N.A. Wijetunga 1064:The Sunday Leader 934:Ravi Karunanayake 909:Nedloyed Obridjan 819:Landing Ship Tank 716:on 19 April 1995 670: 669: 652:2nd Elephant Pass 585:Mullaitivu (1996) 518: 517: 510:Habarana massacre 455:Kattankudi mosque 351:Kokkilai massacre 217: 216: 135: 134: 79: 78: 71: 1216: 1141: 1140: 1138: 1136: 1131:. The Daily Star 1125: 1119: 1118: 1116: 1114: 1103: 1097: 1096: 1094: 1092: 1081: 1075: 1074: 1072: 1070: 1055: 1049: 1048: 1046: 1044: 1031:Blacker, David. 1028: 1022: 1021: 1019: 1017: 1006: 1000: 999: 997: 995: 984: 917:M. H. M. Ashraff 760:Jaffna peninsula 739:transports over 710:Black Sea Tigers 682:Black Sea Tigers 555: 545: 538: 531: 522: 255: 253: 243: 236: 229: 220: 161: 160: 159: 149: 98: 97: 81: 74: 67: 63: 60: 54: 49:this article by 40:inline citations 27: 26: 19: 1224: 1223: 1219: 1218: 1217: 1215: 1214: 1213: 1149: 1148: 1145: 1144: 1134: 1132: 1127: 1126: 1122: 1112: 1110: 1105: 1104: 1100: 1090: 1088: 1083: 1082: 1078: 1068: 1066: 1057: 1056: 1052: 1042: 1040: 1030: 1029: 1025: 1015: 1013: 1008: 1007: 1003: 993: 991: 986: 985: 972: 967: 950: 887: 834: 791: 779:Jude Wijethunge 702: 690:Colombo Harbour 671: 666: 570:Weli Oya (1995) 556: 551: 549: 519: 514: 490:Jaffna Hospital 381:1990 Batticaloa 337: 309: 256: 251: 249: 247: 205: 190: 188: 157: 155: 120: 75: 64: 58: 55: 45:Please help to 44: 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1222: 1220: 1212: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1151: 1150: 1143: 1142: 1120: 1098: 1076: 1050: 1023: 1001: 969: 968: 966: 963: 962: 961: 956: 949: 946: 886: 883: 833: 830: 790: 787: 701: 698: 678:suicide attack 668: 667: 665: 664: 659: 654: 649: 644: 639: 634: 629: 624: 619: 605: 600: 595: 590: 587: 582: 577: 572: 567: 561: 558: 557: 550: 548: 547: 540: 533: 525: 516: 515: 513: 512: 507: 502: 497: 492: 487: 485:Kebithigollewa 482: 477: 472: 467: 462: 460:Palliyagodella 457: 452: 447: 442: 437: 432: 427: 422: 413: 408: 403: 398: 393: 388: 383: 378: 373: 368: 363: 358: 353: 348: 342: 341: 336: 335: 330: 325: 320: 314: 313: 308: 307: 302: 297: 292: 287: 282: 277: 272: 266: 265: 261: 258: 257: 248: 246: 245: 238: 231: 223: 215: 214: 207: 201: 200: 196: 195: 192: 184: 183: 179: 178: 175: 171: 170: 166: 165: 153: 151:Sri Lanka Navy 142: 141: 137: 136: 133: 132: 129:Sri Lanka Navy 126: 122: 121: 112: 110: 106: 105: 102: 94: 93: 86: 85: 77: 76: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1221: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1204:Ship bombings 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1185: 1182: 1180: 1177: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1156: 1154: 1147: 1130: 1124: 1121: 1108: 1102: 1099: 1086: 1080: 1077: 1065: 1061: 1054: 1051: 1038: 1034: 1027: 1024: 1011: 1005: 1002: 989: 983: 981: 979: 977: 975: 971: 964: 960: 957: 955: 952: 951: 947: 945: 943: 939: 935: 931: 926: 925:depth charges 922: 918: 913: 910: 906: 902: 899: 895: 892: 884: 882: 880: 876: 872: 868: 864: 860: 856: 852: 848: 838: 831: 829: 827: 826: 820: 816: 815:Mercs Hendala 812: 808: 803: 802: 796: 788: 786: 784: 780: 776: 773: 769: 765: 761: 757: 753: 749: 746: 742: 738: 734: 730: 729:Eelam War III 727:that set off 726: 725: 721: 718:sinking SLNS 715: 711: 707: 699: 697: 695: 691: 687: 683: 679: 675: 663: 660: 658: 655: 653: 650: 648: 645: 643: 640: 638: 635: 633: 630: 628: 625: 623: 620: 617: 613: 609: 606: 604: 601: 599: 596: 594: 591: 588: 586: 583: 581: 578: 576: 575:Jaffna (1995) 573: 571: 568: 566: 563: 562: 559: 554: 553:Eelam War III 546: 541: 539: 534: 532: 527: 526: 523: 511: 508: 506: 503: 501: 498: 496: 493: 491: 488: 486: 483: 481: 478: 476: 473: 471: 468: 466: 463: 461: 458: 456: 453: 451: 448: 446: 443: 441: 438: 436: 433: 431: 428: 426: 423: 421: 417: 414: 412: 409: 407: 404: 402: 401:Jaffna lagoon 399: 397: 394: 392: 389: 387: 384: 382: 379: 377: 374: 372: 369: 367: 364: 362: 359: 357: 354: 352: 349: 347: 344: 343: 339: 338: 334: 331: 329: 326: 324: 321: 319: 316: 315: 311: 310: 306: 303: 301: 298: 296: 293: 291: 288: 286: 285:Eelam War III 283: 281: 278: 276: 273: 271: 268: 267: 263: 262: 259: 254: 244: 239: 237: 232: 230: 225: 224: 221: 212: 208: 203: 202: 197: 193: 186: 185: 180: 176: 173: 172: 167: 164: 154: 152: 148: 144: 143: 138: 130: 127: 124: 123: 119: 115: 111: 108: 107: 104:12 April 1996 103: 100: 99: 95: 92: 87: 82: 73: 70: 62: 59:December 2023 52: 48: 42: 41: 35: 30: 21: 20: 1146: 1133:. Retrieved 1123: 1111:. Retrieved 1101: 1089:. Retrieved 1079: 1067:. Retrieved 1063: 1053: 1041:. Retrieved 1037:the original 1026: 1014:. Retrieved 1004: 992:. Retrieved 990:. The Island 914: 908: 904: 900: 893: 888: 878: 870: 866: 858: 854: 850: 846: 843: 824: 814: 807:Lanka Asitha 806: 800: 792: 774: 768:Vanni region 723: 719: 714:SLN Dockyard 703: 673: 672: 662:Bandaranaike 475:October 1995 445:Anuradhapura 366:Akkaraipattu 333:Sooriyakanda 290:Eelam War IV 280:Eelam War II 211:Black Tigers 140:Belligerents 89:Part of the 65: 56: 37: 1135:14 November 1113:14 November 1091:14 November 1087:. Aljazeera 1069:22 February 1043:22 February 994:14 November 898:car carrier 741:SLAF Palaly 647:A-9 highway 608:Jayasikurui 603:Vavunathivu 450:Aranthalawa 312:Mass graves 270:Eelam War I 264:Main topics 51:introducing 1153:Categories 1016:30 October 965:References 901:Singha Ace 891:oil tanker 832:The attack 752:Mujahedeen 700:Background 688:(LTTE) on 657:Rivikirana 637:Oddusuddan 598:Pulukunawa 420:Allaipiddy 416:Nagerkovil 371:Prawn farm 346:Black July 34:references 1109:. ipsnews 885:Aftermath 762:from the 722:and SLNS 694:Sri Lanka 632:Rana Gosa 622:Rivi bala 589:Sath Jaya 470:Kallarawa 340:Massacres 328:Mirusuvil 323:Duraiappa 118:Sri Lanka 948:See also 859:Ranagala 811:IAI Kfir 801:Ranagala 737:Avro 748 724:Ranasuru 642:Kinihira 580:Riviresa 480:Gonagala 425:Vankalai 361:Kumudini 318:Chemmani 182:Strength 109:Location 873:of the 855:Rangala 851:Rangala 847:Rangala 825:Shakthi 789:Prelude 748:MANPADS 735:(SLAF) 720:Sooraya 708:of its 706:frogmen 684:of the 593:Edibala 177:Unknown 131:victory 114:Colombo 47:improve 928:out a 676:was a 435:Muttur 411:Navaly 125:Result 36:, but 921:sonar 879:P-441 871:P-441 867:P-441 823:SLNS 799:SLNS 775:P-458 1137:2023 1115:2023 1093:2023 1071:2013 1045:2013 1018:2008 996:2023 894:Arma 745:SA-7 101:Date 743:by 1155:: 1062:. 973:^ 821:, 696:. 614:, 116:, 1139:. 1117:. 1095:. 1073:. 1047:. 1020:. 998:. 618:) 610:( 544:e 537:t 530:v 418:- 242:e 235:t 228:v 72:) 66:( 61:) 57:( 43:.

Index

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Sri Lankan civil war
Colombo
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Navy

Sri Lanka Navy
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Black Tigers
v
t
e
Sri Lankan Civil War
Eelam War I
Indian intervention
Eelam War II
Eelam War III
Eelam War IV
Battles and operations
Bombings and terrorist attacks
Other military attacks
Chemmani
Duraiappa
Mirusuvil
Sooriyakanda
Black July

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