Black Tigers of Air Tigers

The first Air Black Tiger attack was on 20.02.2009 on the Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarter on the Katunayake Air Base. The first members of LTTE Air Force Colonel Ruben and Lt. Colonel Sreetharan carried out this as a suicide attack. This two Black Tigers, who were aiming to destroy the target, were shot down before approaching the target.

When one of the planes circled over the port of Colombo and captured Kale Face Green, it was attacked by an anti-aircraft gun. At 9:51 pm the plan collided with the 12th floor of the 15-storey Inland Revenue Department (IRD) building in Sir Chirambalam Gardiner Mawatha. The bomber struck shortly after and set fire to a part of the building. Two people were killed in the crash. A military statement said “parts of the LTTE pilot’s body” had been found inside the building. The plane’s engine was found on the 12th floor of the building.

The other plane was heading towards the Air Force base next to the Bandaranaike International Airport. It was unable to approach the target due to heavy anti-aircraft gunfire on the plane. At 9.59 pm the plane was shot down before reaching the base. Six civilians were injured in the attack. The wreckage of the plane along with the body of the pilot was found by the military. The pilot had two vials of cyanide and a powerful explosive device on him.