Four people were shot dead while taking part in a crowd demonstrating outside the home of RUF leader Foday Sankoh.  The gunfire appeared to come from the house. After the shooting, Foday Sankoh disappeared. The US has offered to supply transport aircraft to move two additional infantry battalions from Nigeria to Sierra Leone. There are now some 500 UN peacekeepers held captive by RUF rebels. The UN has evacuated 266 of the 321 UN civilians in Sierra Leone. The British are also sending a light aircraft carrier (the HMS Illustrious, with 12 heavy helicopters and nine Harrier jets).