Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence today just before thousands of protesters stormed his official residence in Colombo.
Lmao people actually made the president pack his suitcase and run for his life😂😂
#GoHomeGota #අරගලයටජය #GoHomeRanil pic.twitter.com/gw7Zkr1I5a— ♡ Sanda ♡ (@TachyonJaneesha) July 9, 2022
Amid the chaos, videos emerged of suitcases being loaded on a Sri Lanka Navy ship. Local media said that the suitcases belonged to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The visuals show three men carrying large suitcases onto the ship SLNS Gajabahu. The three men are in a hurry and can be seen running in the video.
"The Harbour Master at the Colombo Port said that a group boarded the SLNS Sindurala and SLNS Gajabahu and left the port,” News1 Channel reported.
He said he cannot provide details of the manifest or about those who boarded the vessels, the channel said.
Earlier today, private broadcasters also showed what appeared to be a vehicle convoy belonging to the president at Sri Lanka's main international airport, but there was no confirmation on whether he had left the island.
Rajapaksa's current whereabouts are unknown and protesters have taken over both his officer and official residence.
