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A discussion has been created on social media regarding a flag carried by a vessel that is said to have sailed in the waters near Katchatheevu Island, which is frequently discussed due to political and social issues. Below is a fact-check we conducted regarding this.
Social Media Posts
A video was posted on social media stating, “The sea of Katchatheevu is theirs again.”
The relevant video continued to circulate on social media, as follows
Users commented on the video, indicating that the flag in question belonged to the LTTE organization.
Accordingly, we conducted a fact-finding investigation into the vessel said to have sailed in the waters near Katchatheevu Island and the flag it was flying.
Fact Check
When we carefully examine the above video, we can clearly see the image of a farmer and the upper body of another person on the flag hoisted on the boat.
The LTTE flag and the flag shown in the video are different!
During the initial inspection, we examined the LTTE flag and the flag shown in the relevant video separately, and it became clear that the LTTE flag and the flag shown in the video are different.
A boat carrying the flag of Naam Tamil Party leader Senthamisan Seeman
Due to the difference between the LTTE flag and the flag shown in the relevant video, we searched the relevant footage using a reverse image search tool and found a news report published in Tamil on February 27, 2026.
The relevant news report states that a boat carrying the flag of Naam Tamil Party leader Senthamisan Seeman sailed into the waters of Katchatheevu, and that the boat was traveling to attend the feast of St. Anthony’s Church in Katchatheevu. The full news report is here.
Similarly, a video posted on YouTube by a person who participated in a religious ceremony held on Kachchativu Island also contains a scene with the relevant flag. It can also be clearly identified from that sequence of scenes that the flag in question is not the same as the LTTE flag.
The full video is below.
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK)
Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is a Tamil nationalist political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Founded in 1958 by S. P. Adityanar, the party was reorganized in 2010 by its current leader, Seeman. An image of a farmer is used by the Naam Tamilar Katchi party as its election symbol.
Below is a comparison between the flag seen in the video and the NTK party’s election symbol.
It is therefore clear that the NTK election symbol and a photograph of the current leader of the NTK party, Seeman, are included in the relevant flag.
A boat arrived for the annual festival at the historic St. Anthony’s Church in Katchatheevu
The historic St. Anthony’s Church on Katchatheevu Island is the site of the annual festival, which attracts devotees from Sri Lanka and India. The 2026 Katchatheevu festival was held on February 27 and 28, and during this period, many boats from Tamil Nadu carrying devotees and supporters from various groups arrived on the island. The Sri Lanka Navy reported in this regard, regard as follows. It is therefore clear that the boat seen in the relevant video was carrying a group of people attending the event from India.
Navy Headquarters – Naval Media Division
We inquired with the Naval Media Section at Navy Headquarters in this regard. Lieutenant Kumara Ranasinghe stated that the annual festival was held on Katchatheevu Island last month, and although a month has passed, the Sri Lanka Navy has not received any reports of a boat carrying the LTTE flag sailing in the waters surrounding Katchatheevu Island during that festival.
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Conclusion
Our investigation has revealed that the circulating video claiming that a boat carrying an LTTE flag was seen sailing in the waters near Katchatheevu Island is misleading. The flag seen in the video belongs to the Naam Tamilar Katchi Party, a political party in Tamil Nadu, and the boat in question was carrying participants for the annual festival of St. Anthony’s Church on Katchatheevu Island on 27–28 February 2026.
Title: Did a boat flying the LTTE flag sail near Katchatheevu Island?
Fact Check By: Pavithra Hansani
Result: Misleading
