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Lankan ferry

feared to be

hijacked

COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan ferry carrying 120 passengers from the east coast to the north has failed to arrive at its destination and may have been hijacked by Tamil Tiger rebels, a Tamil party leader said on Wednesday.

The Irish Mona, operated by the shipping and rehabilitation ministry with the assistance of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), left the eastern port of Trincomalee on Monday evening.

It was due in the northwest island of Karaitivu on Tuesday morning, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda said.

"People are saying LTTE boats are escorting the vessel out to the high sea," said Devananda, whose once rebel party now helps government forces fighting the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

He said passengers had been seen waving from the deck when an ill-fated navy fast-attack craft approached on Tuesday.

Two navy Dvora-class vessels were sunk by the Tigers off Mullaitivu with the loss of 21 sailors, military sources told Reuters, adding that one had been going to investigate a passenger vessel at anchor when it was attacked.

A huge explosion, possibly caused by a mine or exploding ammunition, attracted the attention of the second Dvora, which also came under fire, the sources said.

The sources said the ferry may have been hijacked by the Tigers. The navy has yet to comment.-Reuter