The Sea Tigers (Tamil: கடற்புலிகள் ''Kaţaṛpulikaḷ'') was the naval wing of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
during the
Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effective
suicide bomber vessels. During its existence it had gained a reputation as a capable adversary for the
Sri Lankan Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
. During the civil war, the Sea Tigers had sunk at least 29 Sri Lankan small
inshore patrol boats, 20 Dvora Class
Fast attack craft, 3
Warships
A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the armed forces of a state. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and ...
, 2 Large
Surveillance command ships, and one
freighter.
The Sea Tigers were led by
Soosai
Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan ( ta, தில்லையம்பலம் சிவனேசன்; 16 October 1963https://web.archive.org/web/20070202013908/http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2006/76/2006_57476.asp Thillayamp ...
, with their main base at
Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu ( ta, முல்லைத்தீவு, translit=Mullaittīvu; si, මූලදූව, translit=Mūladūva) is the main town of Mullaitivu District, situated on the north-eastern coast of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. A largely ...
, on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka and their last base was taken when the
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
captured Chalai in Mullaitivu in February 2009.
Background
As the Tamil
insurgency
An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irregu ...
gained strength, the LTTE required that much of its
supplies to be
smuggled
Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.
There are various ...
in by sea. It was soon realized that a naval component was needed to complement the land-based
guerrilla forces. The leader of the LTTE,
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran (; ta, வேலுப்பிள்ளை பிரபாகரன்; , (26 November 1954 – 18 May 2009) was a Sri Lankan Tamil guerrilla and the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ...
, understood the necessity of a naval force.
The Sea Tigers were officially founded in 1984. In the first years its primary task was smuggling personnel and equipment between the LTTE's bases in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
and Sri Lanka, in particular
Jaffna
Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...
. As the Sea Tiger
cadres gained experience, it took on offensive operations against the
Sri Lankan Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
.
The leader, 'Admiral', of the Sea Tigers was Colonel
Soosai
Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan ( ta, தில்லையம்பலம் சிவனேசன்; 16 October 1963https://web.archive.org/web/20070202013908/http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2006/76/2006_57476.asp Thillayamp ...
.
Major operations
During several of the
LTTE
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
offensive campaigns the Sea Tigers landed troops to engage and distract
Sri Lankan Army units; the latest was when the LTTE attacked the
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) ( ta, தமிழ் மக்கள் விடுதலைப்புலிகள், en, Tamil Peoples Liberation Tigers), previously known as the "Karuna Group", is a political party in Sri Lanka. It ...
faction in the east in 2004. The most significant use of
combined operations was at the
Second Battle of Elephant Pass
The Second Battle of Elephant Pass (code-named Operation Unceasing Waves III (ஓயாத அலைகள் மூன்று) by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), was a battle fought in April 2000 for the control of the Sri Lankan mi ...
in the Spring of 2000, when some 2,500 cadres were landed behind enemy lines. Previously the largest such operation was the capture of
Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu ( ta, முல்லைத்தீவு, translit=Mullaittīvu; si, මූලදූව, translit=Mūladūva) is the main town of Mullaitivu District, situated on the north-eastern coast of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. A largely ...
in 1996, in which the SLA lost over 1,200 soldiers with all their equipment. The LTTE admitted to losing 330 personnel during the latter operation.
In August 1996, the Sea Tigers attacked a cargo vessel ''MV Princess Wave'' while it was loading Ilmenite from Pulmoddai, a tradinational Tamil homeland. 15 Sri Lankan Navy soldiers were killed in that attack. In May 1997, Sea Tigers sunken another cargo vessel by placing two to five kilograms of explosives in the hull (starboard or right side), below the water, just near the propeller. The vessel was a cargo vessel named ''Athena'' loaded with 42,000 metric tons of Argentinian wheat worth over Rs 570 million (ten million US dollars)
In 2001, the Sri Lankan Navy launched the Operation "Varuna Kirana", to stop LTTE sea tiger convoys from retrieving weapons and equipment from LTTE smuggling ships in the open seas. However, this was ultimately unsuccessful. The SLN units were spread out, and frequently found themselves outnumbered by LTTE convoys, with 10-15 vessels in each caravan pitted against SLN vessels operating in pairs . The sea tigers also benefitted from weak intelligence gathering by the navy and the poor communications between the navy and the air force.
Sea Tigers'
fast patrol boat
A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and the ...
s and smaller suicide boats had engaged and sunk around 29
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
fast patrol boats. They also attacked the main SLN naval base in a suicide bomber vessel mission at
Trincomalee
Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...
and damaged one of the two SLN
catamarans
A Formula 16 beachable catamaran
Powered catamaran passenger ferry at Salem, Massachusetts, United States
A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a multi-hulled watercraft featuring two parallel hulls of equal size. It is a geometry-stab ...
used as troop transports.
On October 20, 2006, the Sri Lankan Navy reported that it had sunk 2 boats, and damaged several others in a major skirmish which reportedly left at least 20 rebels killed in the naval battle but not confirmed by the Sea Tigers.
On November 1, 2008, a sea battle occurred between Sri Lankan navy and Sea Tigers. During the initial attack at about 05:45 seven Black Sea Tigers died, while four LTTE attack craft were destroyed, 14 Tamil Tigers were killed and about as many others were reported injured. The Sea Tigers then intercepted a twenty-vessel strong Sri Lankan Navy
flotilla
A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small ''flota'' (fleet) of ships), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet.
Composition
A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class ...
escorting a
hovercraft
A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious Craft (vehicle), craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces.
Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull ...
that resulted in a heavy sea fight. According to pro-rebel sources, at about 7:00 After losing a
Dvora Fast Attack Craft (FAC) and the hovercraft, the Lankan navy was forced to withdraw, and had to tow a
water jet propelled naval craft that was severely damaged to the
Kankesanturai (KKS) naval base. The battle followed reports that the
Sri Lanka's air force had claimed to have bombed a base of the Sea Tiger chief,
Soosai
Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan ( ta, தில்லையம்பலம் சிவனேசன்; 16 October 1963https://web.archive.org/web/20070202013908/http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2006/76/2006_57476.asp Thillayamp ...
and captured a Sea Tiger base at
Nachchikuda, along the north-western seaboard. The Sri Lanka Army launched heavy artillery barrages across the Northern Front following the sea battle. The attack also followed a
dual Air Tiger air attack.
Demise
After 2005 the Sri Lankan Navy had undergone several major reforms and unlike in the past the navy received more political support. Thus with the beginning of the Fourth Eelam War the Sea Tigers faced a more organised enemy adapted to
asymmetric warfare
Asymmetric warfare (or asymmetric engagement) is the term given to describe a type of war between belligerents whose relative military power, strategy or tactics differ significantly. This is typically a war between a standing, professional ar ...
. Development of the navy's intelligence wing and centralizing intelligence agencies allowed the government to track LTTE smuggling ships and instead of attempting stop convoys bringing weapons ashore the navy attacked smuggling ships. Initially stopping at 200 nautical miles to unload cargo to smaller boats, the LTTE was forced to carry out operations further away due to loss of ships and in 2007 SLN followed and sank them near Australian territory. During naval engagements the Sea tigers who relied on swarming and suicide boats found themselves outnumbered due to the introduction of the
Arrow-class which was of higher quality. When the LTTE used the standard tactic of swarming larger patrol vessels the SLN would fall back while the confused Sea Tiger units are swarmed by arrow boats and outnumbered 10 to 40. The use of sonars alongside simpler methods such as
booms alongside increased patrols around ports countered frogmen actions.
The Sea Tiger force was annihilated during April 2009 attack by
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
and on May 18, 2009 the
Sri Lankan government
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා රජය, Śrī Lankā Rajaya; ta, இலங்கை அரசாங்கம்) is a parliamentary system determined by the Sri Lankan Constitution. It administers the is ...
confirmed that
Colonel Soosai was killed when a rocket hit the armored-plated van he was travelling in. As a result of the military offensive that ended in May 2009, in the North of the country the
Sri Lanka Armed Forces
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). T ...
first recaptured all of the western seaboard that was once controlled by the LTTE, thus depriving the Sea Tigers the bases it had in the west.
On the eastern seaboard the LTTE has also lost all of its Sea tigers bases and coast line it controlled including the headquarters of the Sea Tigers in the town of
Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu ( ta, முல்லைத்தீவு, translit=Mullaittīvu; si, මූලදූව, translit=Mūladūva) is the main town of Mullaitivu District, situated on the north-eastern coast of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. A largely ...
.
Although the Sea Tigers were initially able to put up stout resistance as several major sea engagements have occurred in the early months of 2009 with the Sea tigers trying to penetrate the
naval blockade
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
maintained by the
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
in the eastern seaboard, they have now been virtually eliminated as an organized naval force. On land the
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
has been able to capture several Sea Tiger boats and a boat yard including several partially completed
submersibles.
In early February 2009, the military reported once again that it captured the last major Sea Tiger base killing three senior commanders in the process thus limiting Sea Tiger operational capabilities. As of 16 May 2009, the entire Sri Lankan coastline was captured by the
Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Currently, the Sea Tigers are presumed to have been effectively and completely destroyed.
Units
Boats
Boats used by the LTTE are divided into Gunboats, Explosive Boats and Low Profile Vessels. Boats designs ranged from those based on leisure to fishing craft. These boats could be up to 15 meters long, and were usually equipped with four to six 250 Hp
outboard engine
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method ...
s and a mixture of weaponry: light and heavy
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
s mainly of
12.7mm
This is a list of firearm cartridge (weaponry), cartridges which have bullets in the to caliber range.
*''Length'' refers to the cartridge casing (ammunition), case length.
*''OAL'' refers to the overall length of the cartridge.
*''Bullet'' ref ...
,
14.5mm calibers and
grenade launcher
A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mos ...
s. While inferior to the patrol craft of the Sri Lankan Navy, the use of swarm tactics together with suicide boats negated the disadvantage. The LTTE were also said to possess radar evading stealth boats which are believed to be from
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
. While their radar evading capabilities have been questioned their low profile makes them harder to spot.
Light
fibreglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...
boats were used for
suicide bomber
A suicide attack is any violent attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have occurred throughout histor ...
attacks. For every 20 Gunboats in a swarm there were 3 or 4 suicide craft which attempt to destroy or at least immobilize the larger vessels while gunboats distract them. The LTTE also manufactured several Low Profile Vessels which are slower than other boats but stealthier.
The Sea Tiger attack vessels are only at sea during operations and training; when idle they are loaded on large trailers and hidden in the dense
jungle
A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century.
Etymology
The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''ja ...
southwest of
Mullaitivu
Mullaitivu ( ta, முல்லைத்தீவு, translit=Mullaittīvu; si, මූලදූව, translit=Mūladūva) is the main town of Mullaitivu District, situated on the north-eastern coast of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. A largely ...
or even transported to the west coast if needed.
Ships
The Sea Tigers also manned a number of larger
merchant vessel
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are us ...
s (sailing under various flags) used for
smuggling
Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.
There are various ...
equipment from neighboring countries. As there were no large ports under LTTE control, the supplies were loaded onto smaller vessels that could land directly on the beaches. From March 2003 to October 2007, the
Sri Lankan Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
destroyed ten of these vessels in the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
, crippling the LTTE's supply line.
Submersibles
The LTTE built several crudely built submersibles and semi-submersibles based on
Narco-sub designs. All designs were unarmed but some had long nose spars to ram vessels.
Frogmen
Frogmen
A frogman is someone who is trained in scuba diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity that includes military, and in some European countries, police work. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver, comb ...
also served with the Sea Tigers and were used in sinking at least one freighter at the
Sri Lankan Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
base at
Kankesanturai - KKS, at the northern point of the
Jaffna
Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...
peninsula. They were also involved in the sinking of a SLN supply ship in
Trincomalee
Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...
harbor in May 2008.
On 17 June 2006 on the coast near
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
, two frogmen belonging to the Sea Tigers were captured by Sri Lanka's army while trying to bomb ships in
Colombo Port. News images showed that the frogmen were using
rebreather
A rebreather is a breathing apparatus that absorbs the carbon dioxide of a user's breathing, exhaled breath to permit the rebreathing (recycling) of the substantially unused oxygen content, and unused inert content when present, of each breath. ...
s, probably a type with one
oxygen cylinder across the belly. On capture, both tried to commit
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
using
cyanide
Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms.
In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...
.
Naval Mines
The LTTE developed several types of improvised naval mines including moored, floating and
limpet mine
A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces.
A swimmer or diver m ...
s. The LTTE used smuggled torpedoes to construct mines as their boats were unable to use torpedoes.
Personnel
The total personnel strength was between 2,000-3,000 women and men. Women operated the boats on an equal footing as their male compatriots. However the number of personnel may vary depending on operational needs. Local arms caches were hidden in the jungle close to villages.
Analysts' views of Sea Tigers
Jane's International Defence Review
''Jane's International Defence Review'' (''IDR'') is a monthly magazine reporting on military news and technology.
History and profile
''International Defense Review'' was established in 1968. It was published by Interavia SA (Geneva, Switzerland) ...
, in a report on Sri Lanka, published a few years ago, pointed out that the Sea Tigers "have taken on the Sri Lankan navy with unprecedented success." A recent publication of the
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (formerly the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs) is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school provides an array of comprehensive course ...
for the
Centre for Strategic and International Studies
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit organization based in Indonesia which has served as a think tank on social, international, political and economical issues. CSIS was founded on Sept 1, 1971 by a group of ...
reckons that they have destroyed 30 per cent of Sri Lanka's navy fiberglass small craft fleet.
The Sea Tigers not relying on
communications
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
with their
command
Command may refer to:
Computing
* Command (computing), a statement in a computer language
* COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS
* Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards
* ...
on shore during ongoing operations, was one factor in their success. The Sri Lankan Navy on the other hand was required to act in accordance with commanders onshore. Sea Tiger
intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
also played a key role in their operations, allowing for detailed and bold operations to be carried out in almost silent mode (highest
EMCON
In telecommunications, radio silence or Emissions Control (EMCON) is a status in which all fixed or mobile radio stations in an area are asked to stop transmitting for safety or security reasons.
The term "radio station" may include anything ca ...
).
[
The basis of Sea Tiger offensive operations could be described as ]sea control
Command of the sea (also called control of the sea or sea control) is a naval military concept regarding the strength of a particular navy to a specific naval area it controls. A navy has command of the sea when it is so strong that its rivals ...
and keeping the SLN on their toes with their extensive sea denial
Sea denial is a military term describing attempts to deny the enemy's ability to use the sea without necessarily attempting to control the sea for its own use. It is a parallel concept to sea control. The two concepts: sea control and sea denial ...
tactics in the northern waters of Sri Lanka. Some analysts say the Sea Tigers have adopted the military theory
Military theory is the analysis of normative behavior and trends in military affairs and military history, beyond simply describing events in war.
Theories and conceptions of warfare have varied in different places throughout human history. T ...
of 'Versatile Maritime Force'. Sea Tiger operations could also be seen as a clear example of asymmetric warfare
Asymmetric warfare (or asymmetric engagement) is the term given to describe a type of war between belligerents whose relative military power, strategy or tactics differ significantly. This is typically a war between a standing, professional ar ...
.[
]
Strategic implications
India
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
regarded the Sea Tigers as a "nuisance" in South Asian waters and the Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by ...
and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
's state government had increased naval surveillance in the region. Though no clashes were reported between the Sea Tigers and Indian civil or military ships, Indian experts have suggested the government to "neutralize" it as the ongoing battle between the Tigers and Sri Lankan Navy has affected Indian fishing areas and shipping lanes.
Sri Lanka
The LTTE once controlled parts of the northern coastline of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan forces stationed in the Jaffna
Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...
peninsula were mainly supplied through naval convoys from Trincomalee
Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...
in the east. The Sea Tigers bases were well located for attacks on these shipments, and forces the SLN to keep a significant force of fast attack patrol-boats on alert. Sea Tigers have also captured and seized the cargo of at least two Sri Lankan freighters.
In many ways the Sea Tigers had adapted and challenged a larger and more modern Navy, due to their tactics being based on the understanding of SLN operations cycles, doctrine and reaction time.
Sea piracy
The Sea Tigers have been accused of hijacking 4 Sri Lankan supply vessels in the waters of Sri Lanka namely ''Irish Mona'' (in August 1995), ''Misen'' (in July 1997) ''Morong Bong'' (in July 1997) and ''Princess Kash'' (in August 1998) but it destroyed by Sri Lankan Navy's Airforce along with cargo in it. They have also dismantled equipment from a drifted vessel named ''MV Farah III'' (in December 2006).
In the year 1996, Lawrence Thilakar, a member of the LTTE central committee, said that the Tigers would target both Sri Lankan military inside and outside supply lines. A second development was the LTTE's declaration on 15 July 1997, that all merchant vessels taking supplies northward to Jaffna peninsula would be considered legitimate military targets. This was aimed to cutoff the Sri Lanka's supply line to Jaffna as result of the Sri Lankans' ability to supply themselves by air was drastically reduced due to continues shot down of SLAF's supply planes. The LTTE accused Sri Lanka of '' "shipping war materials to Jaffna under the pretext of supplying food and necessities for the people" ''.
On 28 August 1995, Tigers intercepted and taken control of the passenger ferry ''Irish Mona'' near the coastal city of Mullaitivu. The ferry was run by the government of Sri Lanka with the help of a paramilitary group known as EPDP
The Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.
Background
Douglas Devananda was one of the founding members of the Eelam ...
, transporting people from the Jaffna islands to the mainland. The ship's passengers were brought to the coast safely by the Sea Tigers. When the SLN sent its two Dvora boats to investigate the incident both were sunk. The rebels lured the first boat in range of the firing line by posing as passengers waving for help on the ferry's deck, and fired with tank which was hidden in the ground, according to Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
officials. It was then came to light that the ship was turned into a deadly trap, aimed at the Sri Lankan Navy gunboats. A short time later, the passengers (Tamils) and the ferry and its crew (Sinhalese) were released, although two of them were detained and released later on 25 October 1998.
On 1 July 1997, Sea Tigers captured another Sri Lankan supply ship named '' MV Misen'' off the north-western coast of Pesalai. The Tigers' claimed that the ship was transporting Sri Lankan troops to the Jaffna peninsula. After taking the crew of 39 members off the ship, the Sri Lankan government claims the Tigers burned it down. On 14 July 1997, 7 of the crew was released and handed over to ICRC. One of the released person said that their treatment by the LTTE was good while they were in their custody, according to Amnesty International. Later on some of them were exchanged for five members who were captured by Sinhala villagers in Trincomalee, according to Amnesty International. The last 7 crew members (Sinhalese) were released on 25 October 1998 and handed over to ICRC.
On 8 July 1997, a Sri Lankan supply ship named ''Morong Bong'' was detained by Tamil Tigers off the Jaffna peninsula and had taken it to Alampil in Mullaitivu with the Sea Tigers escorts where it was anchored. According to the Tigers, one of the 38 crewmen on the ship was killed when the ship took off for open waters after the Tigers demanded it stop. Later, the crew of 37 were detained. On 13 July 1997, the entire crew was released. According to reports, the captain of the ship sympathized with the rebels and called the Sri Lankan government 'merciless'.
On 14 August 1998, LTTE hijacked Sri Lankan supply ship ''MV Princess Kash'' loaded with 60tons of cargo (worth of 500 million rupees) at the Mullaitivu sea and escorted towards the coast of Mullaitivu by the Sea Tigers gunboats. The 17 member Indian crew was captured and taken to the coast by the Sea Tigers. Later, the ship was bombed at 4:15pm by Sri Lankan Airforce Kfir bombers. Prior to the ship's bombing, the captain, V. N. Capro, told the Sri Lankan Navy the LTTE was investigating them and that settlement could be reached through negotiation. The VoT further reported the captain had requested the SLN not to take any military action until then, but the vessel was bombed regardless of his request. But the SLN said that they acted to prevent the delivery of ''"dangerous merchandise"'' to the Tigers, after their doubts were strengthened after the captain of the ship was alleged to be ''"acting in connivance with the LTTE"''. The crew were later handed over to ICRC on 16 August. Around 600 Jaffna traders, protested against the bombing of the ship. They accused the government as they are starving the Tamil people in Jaffna and reducing the supplies. They also demanded the Sri Lankan government to provide compensation for the cargo which was destroyed by the Sri Lankan Airforce
On 23 December 2006, the crew of 25 members of a Jordanian ship which was carrying 14,000 tons of rice from India to South Africa, ''MV Farah III
MV ''Farah III'' was a general cargo ship built in 1981. She was registered in Jordan and owned by Salam International Transport & Trading Co.
Fate
In December 2006, ''Farah III'' was en route from India to South Africa with a cargo of rice when s ...
'', that was drifting towards Mullaitivu coast due to engine failure were rescued and safely brought to the coast. On 23 decem., the Sea Tiger officials said that the captain of the Ship is trying to bring the ship to operation before getting aground. The ship then agrounded on the same day. On 24 December, when the captain of the crew was contacted by TamilNet
TamilNet is an online newspaper that provides news and feature articles on current affairs in Sri Lanka, specifically related to the erstwhile Sri Lankan Civil War. The website was formed by members of the Sri Lankan Tamil community residing ...
and when asked whether the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sea Tigers have engaged in a military standoff, the ship captain told that,"this, I guess is all political. We are all safe and we have good cooperation here. We were offered a good place to sleep."
They were handed over to ICRC on 25 December at 10 am. On 26th December, an Indian newspaper, The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
, accused the Tamil Tigers of forcing the crew to abandon the vessel and risking their lives. According to it, the skipper of the vessel said; "First they tried to set up a bomb and explode the anchor cable and when it failed they ordered us to weigh anchor. Then, they opened fire four times to scare my crew and force us into smaller boats. We were travelling at high speed. When the boat hit waves we were tossed about. I injured my back."
He also alleged that the Tigers dismantled and removed all radio communication equipment and radar from the vessel. On May 1, 2007 Sayed Sulaiman, the chairman of the ship's owners, Salam International Trading Company gave an interview to the BBC Tamil service, saying, "We hear from the parties who are concerned with the ship, the insurance company etc., that ... everything that could be taken – like the rice, lights, generators – has been taken from the ship. The ship is now bare."
The ''MV Sik Yang'', a 2,818-ton Malaysian-flag cargo ship which sailed from Tuticorin
Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and ...
, India on May 25, 1999 was reported missing in waters near Sri Lanka. The ship with a cargo of bagged salt was due at the Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n port of Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
on May 31. The fate of the ship's crew of 15 is unknown. A report published on June 30, 1999 states that the vessel "may have been" captured by the LTTE as it went missing in the waters of Sri Lanka, according to 'Anti-Shipping Activity Messages'.
While some of these missions have been purely opportunist in nature, most have, in some manner, been executed to support the group's on-ground war effort. In relation to more concerted maritime combat, however, piracy has not featured prominently in the LTTE's operational activities, and should be considered an adjunct rather than an integral feature of its overall tactical agenda.
References
External links
Article in "Janes" about the Sea Tiger sinking of a SLN catamaran in Trincomalee
Article in "Janes" about the Sea Tigers'tactics and technology
Article in "The Hindu" - Sea Tigers as a possible threat to India's security
Article in the GOSL website regarding the "Chinese trawler incident"
BBC report about the "Chinese trawler incident"
Pictorial of Sea Tigers parade to pay tribute to their fallen fellow cadres on the Martyr's day memorial held in Kallapadu, Mullaithivu coast Nov 2005, a blog
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{{Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Suicide bombing
Military of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
1984 establishments in Sri Lanka
2009 disestablishments in Sri Lanka
Military units and formations established in 1984
Military units and formations disestablished in 2009
Disbanded navies