The Hindu : Front Page : Sri Lankan copter attacked

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Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
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Sri Lankan copter attacked

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: A helicopter providing logistic support to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s aerial convoy to the eastern region took a ‘hit’ in Amparai district on Tuesday afternoon.

According to reliable sources, the helicopter made an emergency landing. It was part of a three-copter convoy carrying the President to Arugambay for opening a bridge connecting Pothuvil and Arukam Kudaa.

“The President and his entourage have returned safely. The incident occurred when the helicopters were on their way back from a base for re-fuelling. It is immediately not clear what hit the helicopter that provided logistic support to the Presidential convoy. The claim by the pro-LTTE web site that the helicopter came under rocket fire is baseless. It could at worst have been hit by small arms fire.

“The schedule of the President and his entourage was not affected. They returned to Colombo safely. It is true that as a matter of abundant caution the helicopter that carried the President returned to Colombo via the sea route”, a senior official told The Hindu.

The Sri Lanka Air Force claimed it pounded an LTTE base at Ampakaman area, eight km northeast of Mankulam junction on Tuesday morning. Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said eight fighter jets were used.

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