Naval authorities in Sri Lanka say gunboats sank a suspected Tamil Tiger rebel craft as it approached a northern military port, Kankesanturai, late Friday.
A navy spokesman, Commander D.K.P. Dassanayake, said Saturday that navy vessels fired warning shots as the unidentified boat approached the harbor, but it would not stop.
The spokesman said the naval boats then sank the vessel. He did not know how many casualties there were on the suspected rebel boat and said there were no injuries on the government side.
Earlier in the week, 20 rebel boats attacked two Navy patrol crafts in Kalpitiya, north of the capital, Colombo. Officials say two rebel boats were destroyed and at least six rebels killed by return fire. The Tigers say only one rebel was killed in the clash.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.