On 18 July 1996 the Sri Lanka Army Military base at Mullaitivu came under heavy attack by LTTE, following this a rescue operation code named Operation Thrivida Pahara was launched to relieve the besieged base by landing troops by both air and sea.
The crew sent out a distress signal and dropped anchor near the town of Mullaitivu, an area held by the militant rebel faction Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The 59 Division was tasked with single-handedly fighting its way to recapture the rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu from the welioya sector.
Operation Trishul, along with Operation Viraat, was an anti-insurgency operation launched by the IPKF against the LTTE in April 1988 in Northern Sri Lanka, in the provinces of Maannar to Mullaitivu and Elephant Pass to Vavuniya.
Operation Viraat, along with Operation Trishul, was an anti-insurgency operation launched by the IPKF against the LTTE in April 1988 in Northern Sri Lanka, in the provinces of Mannar to Mullaitivu and Elephant Pass to Vavuniya.