PTI

Colombo, Apr 30: In a pre-dawn attack, Sri Lankan navy on Wednesday destroyed six LTTE boats and foiled seven suicide attacks by the rebels to recapture the Rektavaikkal fortifications.

Thirty-four Tamil Tigers were killed, amid reports that Velupillai Prabhakaran may try to flee the island through the sea route.

Lankan warships detected six Tiger boats sneaking out of the coastal patch they still hold, sinking all of them and killing 25 rebels on board, a naval spokesman said.

The presence of boats with the Tigers indicate that they are still holding on to some of them to facilitate the escape of top LTTE leaders. "There were 25 rebels on board the six Tiger boats that were sunk this morning," the spokesman said, adding that four of the craft were laden with explosives for a possible suicide strike against

Lankan boats to make a passage for the other two boats to make a getaway.

In fresh offensive, army on Wednesday captured another LTTE fortification killing nine more rebels.

Meanwhile, LTTE cadres made as many as seven suicide attacks on the ground to recapture the fortification near Rektavaikkal which were breached by Lankan troops on Tuesday. This came amid reports from the war zone that said Prabhakaran had switched over to wearing civilian dress to avoid detection and targetting by Lankan forces.