Survivour at hospital

Jesudasan Jim Maximus, the father of the family said that he decided to flee to India by boat as he feared that his children would be forcibly conscripted by the LTTE.

“As the Navy started firing I waved a white flag but they did not stop firing” said Maximus.

Commander D K P Dassanyaka said that the Navy had acted in a responsible manner and that it's the Navy who took the survivors to hospital.

The Navy spokesman said that investigations are continuing

The family claims that the incident took place around 6.30 in the morning while commander Dasayanaka says that the incident took place around 4.30 in the morning and a white flag would not have been visible at that time.

The burial of the grand father and the two children who died in the firing took place in Mannar on Friday..

Cluster of Boats

According to Defence Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara, the naval patrol craft detected and engaged a cluster of LTTE boats making way towards Pesalai, Mannar in the early hours of Thursday morning.

"LTTE boats fired at patrol vessels drawing counter fire from naval units and the LTTE boats were forced to leave a boat with four dead bodies" said Nanayakara.

The survivors being treated at Mannar Hospital dispute this story.

A mother and two children, with gunshot wounds have been admitted to the Mannar hospital.