Eight sailors feared dead after blast

Eight Sri Lankan sailors missing after their vessel was destroyed in an explosion blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels are presumed dead, the navy said today.

“Until now we have only found debris, no survivors and no dead bodies,” navy spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake said. ”They were thrown out by the blast and must have suffered severe injuries. After so many hours of searching, we have come to the conclusion that they are presumed dead.”