Hundreds of sailors despite the inclement weather unloaded essential foodstuff that was sent for the Deepavali festival to the Jaffna peninsula by the merchant vessels, Nimalawa and Ruhuna which came under attack by the LTTE last week in the northern seas.
Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda personally supervised the unloading of essential food items by his men at the Myliddy harbour near Kankesanthurai in Jaffna yesterday.
Navy spokesman Commander D.K.P. Dassanayake told the Observer Online that the motive behind the LTTE?s attack on the merchant vessels, Ruhuna and Nimalawa was to create a huge shortage of essential food items during the Deepavali festive season in the peninsula and to thwart the efforts of the Government to ensure the smooth supply of essential items to the north during the festive season.
"The navy not only thwarted the move of the LTTE but also ensured that the Jaffna civilians celebrate Deepavali without any hindrance.
The attempts by the sea Tigers to overrun the two merchant vessels carrying foodstuff to the north were repulsed successfully by the Navy and the ships were escorted safely to the Myliddy harbour where the unloading of foodstuff was carried out by the sailors.
The merchant ship, Ruhuna carried 3,800 mt tonnes of essential items and the vessel, Nimalawa carried 2,350 mt tonnes of foodstuff, Commander Dassanayake said.