http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Mysterious_disappearance_of_lion_air_602_unearthed_20120419_02
Mysterious disappearance of Lion Air 602 unearthed
Was the Lion Air 602 passenger aircraft shot down by a LTTE
missile, did it crash due to a technical fault or did a hidden bomb explode
inside the aircraft? All those questions were unanswered and buried with the
history; and the whole incident was shrouded in mystery.
The ill-fated Lion Air 602 took off from Pallali airport
carrying 48 passengers to Ratmalana and disappeared from the radar screen just
after ten minutes leaving a big mystery yet to be unfolded in fully.
The mysterious crash of the Lion Air 602 Antonov - 26 passenger
aircraft on 29 September 1998 killed 48 passengers, 6 crew members and two
Ukrainian pilots.
The main suspect who was responsible for this crime against
humanity killing 56 people including children and women had been ordered to shot
down this civilian passenger aircraft by Gadafi, a senior LTTE terrorist leader.
According to his confession to the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID),
Gadafi had ordered four members of their missile squadron including the suspect,
to shot down the Lion Air passenger aircraft, which was flying over Iranativu
Islands on 29 September 1998.
Shiwasubramaniam Thillaraj, the main suspect has admitted that
he had launched a missile to bring down the aircraft, knowing that civilians
were travelling onboard. Further, the suspect and other 17 members of LTTE had
received training on Anti Aircraft Missiles, he has confessed.
The Tamil Civilian passengers on board the flight ranged in age
from 18 to 89. Many of them were working or studying in Colombo.
In the absence of land passage to the north at that time, and
the ship service taking considerably long time, the airline was the best choice
for passengers, especially for those who visit Sri Lanka from abroad for a short
period.
However, immediately after the tragedy, the government had to
stop all private Colombo-Jaffna flights until further notice considering the
risk of lives of Tamil civilians who were travelling on board civilian passenger
aircraft.
With the cancellation of the flights, more than 3000 Tamil
civilians were reported to have been stranded in Jaffna and Colombo.
This incident was one of clear examples as how the LTTE had
denied right of movement of their own people though they pretended to be their
sole survivors.
No comments:
Post a Comment