COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's president was considering using a navy patrol craft to flee the island Tuesday following a humiliating standoff with airport immigration, official sources said. As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to want to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of being detained. "There were some other passengers who protested against Basil boarding their flight," an airport official told AFP. It is widely considered a white elephant, with no scheduled international flights and described as probably the world's least-used international airport. Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51-billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout.

Source: Manila Times July 12, 2022 10:58 UTC