CMB Airport Attacked by Tamil "Freedom Fighters"
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CMB Airport Attacked by Tamil "Freedom Fighters"
Tuesday, 24 July, 2001, 03:09 GMT 04:09 UK
Key Sri Lankan air base attacked
Tamil Tigers are thought to be behind the attack
At least eight people have been killed and several aircraft damaged in heavy fighting at a major Sri Lankan air force base.
Military spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne said that the base, 30km north of the capital Colombo, had come under attack from Tamil Tiger rebels using explosives and small arms.
There are military aircraft burning on the ground. It looks like a very major attack.
At least eight bodies of attackers have so far been found in the military base. At least one was found in the base's control tower.
There were said to be no casualties in the civilian airport, where passengers were evacuated to a nearby hotel.
All flights from the airport have been suspended, while incoming flights have been diverted to the southern Indian city of Madras.
Mr Karunaratne said fighting had ceased and a curfew declared in the surrounding area, but there have been more recent reports of gunfire. Security forces are searching for infiltrators.
BBC correspondent Frances Harrison says the attack bears all the hallmarks of the Tamil Tigers, and is the first major one to be blamed on the rebels this year.
Explosions
There were reports that at least two Israeli-built fighter jets and a helicopter were destroyed.
And eyewitnesses near the base said they had heard a series of massive explosions and could see a huge fire, which seemed to suggest that a fuel tank had been hit.
Tourists who arrived at the civilian airport at the time of the attack were told to get out and escaped through a hole in the fence.
The UK Foreign Office said 47 British nationals were among those caught up in the trouble.
None were injured but they said they had a terrifying escape.
One tourist, Sean Hill, described the ordeal as blind panic, with some members of his group diving into a ditch to save themselves.
Some reports say the air force had brought some new planes to the base the day before.
Blow to peace
And as the first attack outside the north or east of the country for several months, it appears to signal that the stalled peace process is at an end.
Norwegian-brokered efforts have been sidelined for several months, with the government refusing a Tiger demand to lift a ban on the group before any direct peace talks can start.
The attack coincides with the anniversary this week of Tamil race riots in 1983 which triggered the civil war.
The Tigers have been fighting since then for a separate state.
It is the first time the base has been attacked, though the Tigers have targeted the international airport in the past.
In 1986, 16 people were killed in an explosion on a plane owned by Air Lanka, then the national carrier.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/1453699.stm
Key Sri Lankan air base attacked
Tamil Tigers are thought to be behind the attack
At least eight people have been killed and several aircraft damaged in heavy fighting at a major Sri Lankan air force base.
Military spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne said that the base, 30km north of the capital Colombo, had come under attack from Tamil Tiger rebels using explosives and small arms.
There are military aircraft burning on the ground. It looks like a very major attack.
At least eight bodies of attackers have so far been found in the military base. At least one was found in the base's control tower.
There were said to be no casualties in the civilian airport, where passengers were evacuated to a nearby hotel.
All flights from the airport have been suspended, while incoming flights have been diverted to the southern Indian city of Madras.
Mr Karunaratne said fighting had ceased and a curfew declared in the surrounding area, but there have been more recent reports of gunfire. Security forces are searching for infiltrators.
BBC correspondent Frances Harrison says the attack bears all the hallmarks of the Tamil Tigers, and is the first major one to be blamed on the rebels this year.
Explosions
There were reports that at least two Israeli-built fighter jets and a helicopter were destroyed.
And eyewitnesses near the base said they had heard a series of massive explosions and could see a huge fire, which seemed to suggest that a fuel tank had been hit.
Tourists who arrived at the civilian airport at the time of the attack were told to get out and escaped through a hole in the fence.
The UK Foreign Office said 47 British nationals were among those caught up in the trouble.
None were injured but they said they had a terrifying escape.
One tourist, Sean Hill, described the ordeal as blind panic, with some members of his group diving into a ditch to save themselves.
Some reports say the air force had brought some new planes to the base the day before.
Blow to peace
And as the first attack outside the north or east of the country for several months, it appears to signal that the stalled peace process is at an end.
Norwegian-brokered efforts have been sidelined for several months, with the government refusing a Tiger demand to lift a ban on the group before any direct peace talks can start.
The attack coincides with the anniversary this week of Tamil race riots in 1983 which triggered the civil war.
The Tigers have been fighting since then for a separate state.
It is the first time the base has been attacked, though the Tigers have targeted the international airport in the past.
In 1986, 16 people were killed in an explosion on a plane owned by Air Lanka, then the national carrier.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/1453699.stm
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This is an ongoing problem in CMB, and not likely to subside anytime soon. I worked for five years with UL and the trouble did not affect crews all that much, but suggest that anyone contemplating working there to be VERY careful. The airline was pleasant to work for, the management treated expat crews quite well, altho the pay was somewhat low the route structure is excellent with many varied destinations with good layovers.
All in all, nice folks to work with.
All in all, nice folks to work with.
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Could be very bad news for UL and EK...
>>SriLankan Airlines, 40 percent owned by Dubai's Emirates airline, said two of its jetliners were destroyed in the attack and three damaged...SriLankan said its UL679 flight from Sydney had been diverted to Madras in India and UL506 from London was diverted to Dubai.<<
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/2001...port_dc_7.html
>>SriLankan Airlines, 40 percent owned by Dubai's Emirates airline, said two of its jetliners were destroyed in the attack and three damaged...SriLankan said its UL679 flight from Sydney had been diverted to Madras in India and UL506 from London was diverted to Dubai.<<
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/2001...port_dc_7.html
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I understand that UL had just taken delivery of 2 AB330 a/c yesterday (about the same time as the delivery of the new KFIR jets) ...seems very coincidental that the attack came the day after ....
Wonder who spilt the beans?
Wonder who spilt the beans?
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Who gives a toss if a few aircraft have been destroyed? It's only money, folks. The insurance companies will cough up, (In the end), the airlines concerned will lease a couple of extra aircraft, and Airbus will get a few more orders in the near future. So what?
The Tamils have good cause to be p**sed off with the non-Tamil populace, and in return the non-Tamils have good cause to be p**sed off in return. Fourteen Sri Lankan people are dead, which is the real tragedy, and there'll be many, many more in the future.
TW
The Tamils have good cause to be p**sed off with the non-Tamil populace, and in return the non-Tamils have good cause to be p**sed off in return. Fourteen Sri Lankan people are dead, which is the real tragedy, and there'll be many, many more in the future.
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Report from the SriLankan Airlines site timed at 15:30(local):
SriLankan Airlines is planning to resume services tomorrow morning (July 25) subject to the Bandaranaike International Airport being re-opened.
The airline is working out an operational plan based on available aircraft, the details of which will be released later in the day. At present however, we have no aircraft in Colombo. All flights out of the country will resume after the arrival of the six aircraft, which are now at overseas destinations.
Of the aircraft on ground at the time of the attack on the Sri Lanka Air Force installation adjacent to the BIA this morning, three aircraft were destroyed and three damaged. The destroyed aircraft include one A340 and two A330s. The damaged aircraft are two A320s and an A340.
No passenger or SriLankan Airlines' airport staff was injured as a result of the terrorist attack today.
All non-resident passengers who were affected by the cancellations and diversions will be accommodated by the airline in hotels. They will be booked on the first available flights to their destinations."
http://www.srilankan.lk/
SriLankan Airlines is planning to resume services tomorrow morning (July 25) subject to the Bandaranaike International Airport being re-opened.
The airline is working out an operational plan based on available aircraft, the details of which will be released later in the day. At present however, we have no aircraft in Colombo. All flights out of the country will resume after the arrival of the six aircraft, which are now at overseas destinations.
Of the aircraft on ground at the time of the attack on the Sri Lanka Air Force installation adjacent to the BIA this morning, three aircraft were destroyed and three damaged. The destroyed aircraft include one A340 and two A330s. The damaged aircraft are two A320s and an A340.
No passenger or SriLankan Airlines' airport staff was injured as a result of the terrorist attack today.
All non-resident passengers who were affected by the cancellations and diversions will be accommodated by the airline in hotels. They will be booked on the first available flights to their destinations."
http://www.srilankan.lk/
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One need only look to the past to see what this "dispute" has cost already, 8,000+ dead, with many thousands injured.
The tamils, with about 18% of the population, claim more than 40% of the island. Bit greedy, I would say.
The tamils, with about 18% of the population, claim more than 40% of the island. Bit greedy, I would say.
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Tickey Woo whoever you are, your insensitivity is apparent, sure the money part, insurance understanable, but did you stop to ponder and feel, what about the pilots who will be out of a job?
Recently the airline recruited new pilots , maybe they have not yet completed their training and Bang* out of a job!
Think about it.
I feel sorry that the ones fighting for whatever the cause be, resort to such unspeakable and unimaginable destruction of property and human lives.
Uncondonable.
:o
Recently the airline recruited new pilots , maybe they have not yet completed their training and Bang* out of a job!
Think about it.
I feel sorry that the ones fighting for whatever the cause be, resort to such unspeakable and unimaginable destruction of property and human lives.
Uncondonable.
:o
Info - I can't believe what I've just read ... are you actually trying to suggest that Pilot's jobs are more important than people's lives???
Before you wade in with a reply, I suggest you take a peek at the history of the conflict before replying. And before you start - I'm not condoning terrorism in any form, but the situation is a little muddier than would appear from this incident.
Before you wade in with a reply, I suggest you take a peek at the history of the conflict before replying. And before you start - I'm not condoning terrorism in any form, but the situation is a little muddier than would appear from this incident.
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Here's a picture of one of the aircraft casualties:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20...ng_col114.html
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20...ng_col114.html
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Info4U,
I owe you, and anyone else who was offended by my thoughtless, callous post, a heartfelt apology for being so inconsiderate as to put the death of fourteen soldiers before an untold number of pilots jobs. Clearly, the deaths of a few Sri Lankans is immaterial when compared to the temporary loss of income to pilots.
After all, there are billions more people in the 3rd World, so who cares, huh? Less of 'em to crowd our planet, that's what I say. Oh yes.
Thanks for admonishing me for my insensitivity.
TW (Mortally embarrassed)
I owe you, and anyone else who was offended by my thoughtless, callous post, a heartfelt apology for being so inconsiderate as to put the death of fourteen soldiers before an untold number of pilots jobs. Clearly, the deaths of a few Sri Lankans is immaterial when compared to the temporary loss of income to pilots.
After all, there are billions more people in the 3rd World, so who cares, huh? Less of 'em to crowd our planet, that's what I say. Oh yes.
Thanks for admonishing me for my insensitivity.
TW (Mortally embarrassed)
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I have only had the pleasure of visiting once but I have to say that it is a beautiful country and is populated with probably the friendliest people I have met.
It saddens me that a minority of people wish to destroy all that makes it worth having, or being a part of.
Deepest sympathy for those killed or injured by the Tamils and for all those who may be affected by the loss of jobs and income in all walks of life.
It saddens me that a minority of people wish to destroy all that makes it worth having, or being a part of.
Deepest sympathy for those killed or injured by the Tamils and for all those who may be affected by the loss of jobs and income in all walks of life.