Attack on Galle Harbour

On 18 October 2006 a suicide attack was carried out by 15 Sea Tigers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the commercial Galle Harbour and Sri Lanka Navy base SLNS Dakshina in the tourist town of Galle in southern Sri Lanka.^[1][3]

Attack on Galle Harbour
Part of the Sri Lankan civil war
Date 18 October 2006 Location Galle, Sri Lanka Result Disputed
Belligerents
Sri Lanka Navy	Sea Tigers
Commanders and leaders
Commodore Manil Mendis	Unknown
Strength
Unknown	15 in 5 boats
Casualties and losses
3 Naval vessels damaged 1 sailor and 1 civilian killed, 12 sailors, 14 civilians wounded (according to the Sri Lanka Navy)[1] 3 Naval gun boats destroyed (according to the South Asia Analysis Group) [2]	5 boats (3 exploded), 9+ killed (according to the SL Military)[1]

Attack

The Navy claimed that at 7:45 a.m. on 18 October 2006, five "sea tiger" suicide boats, disguised as fishing boats, attempted to attack Dakshina; the Navy destroyed three, and the other two detonated at the entrance of Galle Harbour. One sailor was killed, eleven were injured, and another sailor was missing in action.^[4]

The pro-rebel TamilNet claimed that a 15-member team entered SLNS Dakshina in five vessels and attacked four Sri Lankan naval vessels and installations. At least three explosive-laden attack vessels attacked naval crafts, including a tsunami damaged sub chaser, SLNS Parakramabahu and destroyed a Fast Attack Craft and two water jet inshore patrol vessels anchored in the port base. However these have not been substantiated or excepted by the Sri Lankan defence ministry.

There were no Sea Tiger bases close by, so it was believed the attackers must have travelled a long distance to get to Galle. A number of the attackers died in the attack, whilst others escaped into the town, their fate was unknown despite the navy carrying out search operations.

The defence ministry said two people had been killed, one of them a sailor, with at least 26 others wounded, including civilians.^[3]

Aftermath

The Sri Lankan government responded with airstrikes in rebel territory. Commodore Manil Mendis, Commander of the Southern Naval Area was court-martialled and found guilty of two counts of not taking adequate precautions and counter-measures relating to the incident.^[5][6]

See also

• 1996 attack on Colombo Harbour
• 2007 attack on Colombo Harbour