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Sri Lanka Navy's Party Time
Till last year, the ship carried thousands of armed troops, civilians and vital supplies between the east and north coasts of a nation at war. Next Friday, on the eve of 2011, it will carry flowing liquor and warm food on board, fireworks above, and around 400 guests gyrating to the tunes of DJs from UK and Turkey.
On the Sri Lanka navy’s official website, the `Jetliner’, the venue for the hippest new years’ eve party in Colombo, said to be the largest passenger vessel in its fleet. Between 2006 and much of 2009, the ship, under the protection of dozens of smaller fighter craft, land artillery guns and helicopter gunships, ferried thousands of troops and civilians between Trincomalee (east) and Jaffna (north) as the land route was closed.
The LTTE tried to snap this link on many occasions. ``It was the most important target for the LTTE. The Sea Tigers attacked the ship several times. But we repulsed those attacks. It always traveled under heavy security. On one occasion it carried 3000 personnel,’’ navy spokesperson, Captain A Senarath, said.
But things have changed; changed enough for a private company to hire the vessel for over a million Sri Lankan rupees (around 4 lakh Indian) for a night long party – complementary breakfast thrown in – to usher in 2011.
``It’s the first time Colombo will see such a party on the Jetliner. The party will start at 9 pm and end at 7 am. The cruise will end at 12-30 am after which the ship will dock at the harbour,’’ organiser Keminda Attygalle told HT.
The Jetliner has been much in demand since the navy decided to put it on hire earlier this year. ``We are using it as a resource. The ship is now booked for months in advance for weddings and conferences. We are coordinating with Sri Lankan Tourism for more bookings,’’ Senarath said, adding that it is run by the highly trained professional Naval crew who are at par with the best in the hospitality industry.
Sri Lanka navy's lifeline ship now hip party venue - Hindustan Times
Till last year, the ship carried thousands of armed troops, civilians and vital supplies between the east and north coasts of a nation at war. Next Friday, on the eve of 2011, it will carry flowing liquor and warm food on board, fireworks above, and around 400 guests gyrating to the tunes of DJs from UK and Turkey.
On the Sri Lanka navy’s official website, the `Jetliner’, the venue for the hippest new years’ eve party in Colombo, said to be the largest passenger vessel in its fleet. Between 2006 and much of 2009, the ship, under the protection of dozens of smaller fighter craft, land artillery guns and helicopter gunships, ferried thousands of troops and civilians between Trincomalee (east) and Jaffna (north) as the land route was closed.
The LTTE tried to snap this link on many occasions. ``It was the most important target for the LTTE. The Sea Tigers attacked the ship several times. But we repulsed those attacks. It always traveled under heavy security. On one occasion it carried 3000 personnel,’’ navy spokesperson, Captain A Senarath, said.
But things have changed; changed enough for a private company to hire the vessel for over a million Sri Lankan rupees (around 4 lakh Indian) for a night long party – complementary breakfast thrown in – to usher in 2011.
``It’s the first time Colombo will see such a party on the Jetliner. The party will start at 9 pm and end at 7 am. The cruise will end at 12-30 am after which the ship will dock at the harbour,’’ organiser Keminda Attygalle told HT.
The Jetliner has been much in demand since the navy decided to put it on hire earlier this year. ``We are using it as a resource. The ship is now booked for months in advance for weddings and conferences. We are coordinating with Sri Lankan Tourism for more bookings,’’ Senarath said, adding that it is run by the highly trained professional Naval crew who are at par with the best in the hospitality industry.
Sri Lanka navy's lifeline ship now hip party venue - Hindustan Times
