By Sunil Jayasiri
While the Sri Lanka Navy and Air Force launched separate inquiries into the LTTE air strike on the Trincomalee naval base on Tuesday, seven sailors, who were injured during the incident were transferred to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment yesterday, a defence official said.
The condition of one sailor was said to be critical.
The official also said that inquiry teams from both the Navy and Air Force in Colombo visited the scene in Trincomalee and initiated inquiries.
The two teams will inquire, among other things, as to how the rebel air craft managed to enter the air space in the area and how it managed to escape despite heavy resistance from the ground.
At least ten sailors were injured when the two light aircraft dropped at least two bombs in the Trincomalee Harbour dockyard at around 9.00 p.m with both exploding and making loud sounds.
Sources said that three minutes before entering the base, the radar systems had detected the rebel aircraft. The airplanes had turned away when Navy personnel on the ground opened fire at them.
He said the LTTE aircraft had come from the direction of the sea off Mullaitivu.Meanwhile, there were reports that four sailors were killed in the attack but the navy denied.
Four civilians were also injured in the incident.
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