Sunday Times Newspaper report on How President Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped on 9th JulyPresident Rajapaksa heeded the advice of the security chiefs to make a quick getaway and thus prevent a bloodbath. This is an Advance Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) from the United States Coast Guard and gifted to Sri Lanka. It is not immediately clear whether President Rajapaksa and party disembarked in Trincomalee and flew to the airport in SLAF helicopters or took off from onboard the frigate. With the mobile phones operational, this was how President Rajapaksa telephoned Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, to inform him that he would send in his resignation on July 13. He also kept in touch with an immediate circle using his mobile telephone from the AOPV.

Source: Sunday Times July 18, 2022 04:29 UTC