Sri Lanka Navy to commence salvaging the wreckage of plane shot down by LTTE

Sri Lanka Navy will commence operations today to salvage the wreckage of a passenger plane shot down by the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) 14 years ago in the northern seas. The salvaging operation was to begin on October 31 but it was postponed due to rough seas brought about by the cyclonic weather. A magistrate will also be present during the retrieval of the wreckage. Navy divers have traced the wreckage in sea bed following information provided by the police Terrorism Investigation Department based on a statement made by a former LTTE cadre who is now in custody. A former LTTE cadre named Nillaraj Sivasubramaniam has confessed to the police Terrorist Investigation Department that he shot down the Antonov 26 using a missile. The Lion Air flight 602 from Palaly to Ratmalana carrying 48 civilians and 8 crew including two Ukrainian pilots went missing on September 29, 1998 over the northern seas. It was believed that, the LTTE terrorists in a missile attack shot down the Antonov 26 over the Iranativu Island just ten minutes after it took off from Palaly.