In the midst of widespread protests over Sri Lanka’s economic problems, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country on a military jet.
The 73-year-old, with his wife and two security personnel, took a flight to the Maldives, according to the country’s air force.
According media reports, they landed in Male, the nation’s capital, at roughly 03:30 local time (22:00 GMT).
A family dynasty that had dominated Sri Lanka for many years comes to an end with Rajapaksa’s departure.
After crowds surrounded his home on Saturday, he had been in hiding. The president had stated that he would step down on Wednesday, July 13.
According to a person who spoke to media, Rajapaksa has plans to leave the Maldives and continue on to a third nation.
