sentences:  Lionair Flight 602, operated by an Antonov An-24RV, crashed into the sea off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka on 29 September 1998.The aircraft departed Jaffna-Palaly Air Force Base on a flight to Colombo and disappeared from radar screens just after the pilot had reported depressurization.Initial reports indicated that the plane had been shot down by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels.