Attack on Lankan navy, 15 missing

One of the survivors said a Tiger boat had rammed their boat and exploded, destroying both vessels, a military source said. Harbour police said they had heard a loud explosion.

If confirmed, it would be the first suicide attack on the military since the ceasefire. A similar attack on the navy in Trincomalee harbour killed 12 sailors and led a previous ceasefire to collapse in 1995.

Officials said crews searching the Trincomalee site could not even find debris from the two vessels.

‘‘We believe it was a Tiger suicide mission. The Dvora (fast attack craft) was completely destroyed,” said Navy spokesman Commodore Jayantha Perera. ‘‘We’re still looking for the 15 missing.’’

The Tigers were not available for comment, but have denied any hand in attacks on the military — which analysts and the government say they cannot believe.

The rebels have threatened to resume their armed struggle unless given wide autonomy. Suspected rebel attacks escalated after the Tigers helped sink the chances of the candidate seen as most likely to reach a peace deal by boycotting November’s presidential poll, which analysts say shows they are using the truce to regroup and rearm.