Sri Lanka: Rebel attack had potential to destroy airforce

Colombo: Sri Lanka's government says Tamil Tiger rebels' kamikaze attack two days ago had the potential to destroy the country's airforce but a major disaster was averted because two explosive-packed rebel planes were shot down before they could reach their targets.

Authorities say four people, including the two rebel pilots were killed in Friday night's attack.

"If they (the attacks) really worked, there wouldn't have been an airforce," government's defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella says.

Airforce spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara says there were about 210 kilograms of high explosives in one of the planes which the pilot could not detonate because he had lost a hand to anti-aircraft fire.