Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived at Male airport, the capital of the Maldives, after fleeing on a military plane amid widespread public protests against him, officials reported. The Antonov-32 military aircraft took off from the main international airport carrying four people, including the 73-year-old president, his wife, and a personal bodyguard, according to immigration authorities who spoke to AFP. An immigration official stated, "Their passports were stamped and they boarded a special air force flight."
**Moments of Concern at the Airport**
According to airport officials, the plane remained on the runway for over an hour without being able to take off due to confusion over whether Maldives authorities had granted permission for it to land. A capital airport official who requested anonymity told AFP, "There were some moments of concern, but in the end, everything went well," noting that the aircraft eventually took off towards Male International Airport. He added that many individuals close to the president did not travel with him on this military flight. They had gone with him to Colombo Airport on Monday to travel abroad but had to turn back after immigration officials refused to go to the VIP lounge to stamp their passports, while Rajapaksa insisted on not using public facilities at the airport.
**"Peaceful Transfer of Power"**
Rajapaksa had promised to announce his resignation from office on Wednesday, stating he wanted to facilitate a "peaceful transfer of power." The president fled his official residence in Colombo on Saturday after tens of thousands of angry protesters stormed the premises, following months of demonstrations demanding his resignation due to the country’s worst economic crisis. Rajapaksa sought to travel abroad while still enjoying immunity from prosecution, as resignation while in his country would strip him of that immunity and likely lead to his detention. His previous attempts to travel on a military plane to India, Sri Lanka's closest neighbor, were unsuccessful as Indian authorities did not permit a military aircraft to land at a civilian airport. The presidency has not issued any statements regarding the president's status, but Rajapaksa, who remains the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has access to military resources.
