--- title: "Sri Lanka: Prez Gotabaya Onboard Naval Ship At Colombo Port; to Stay Out in Sea Till its Safe to Return" description: Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled from his official residence in Colombo amid mounting protests and is onboard a naval ship, SLNS Gajabahu. image: https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/hubfs/Sri%20Lanka%20Navy%20Ship.webp --- ###### 1 min read # Sri Lanka: Prez Gotabaya Onboard Naval Ship At Colombo Port; to Stay Out in Sea Till its Safe to Return By: [ Dryad Global ](https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/archive/author/dryad-global) on July 9, 2022 at 6:20 PM [Maritime Security](https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/archive/tag/maritime-security) [Risk Intelligence](https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/archive/tag/risk-intelligence) [Sri Lanka](https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/archive/tag/sri-lanka) - [**](https://twitter.com/GlobalDryad) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/dryad-global/) - [**](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZSIjPkeq7iDcsj4r9TF9mg?sub_confirmation=1) ![Featured Image](https://channel16.dryadglobal.com/hubfs/Sri%20Lanka%20Navy%20Ship.webp) Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled from his official residence in Colombo amid mounting protests and is onboard a naval ship, SLNS Gajabahu. A Sri Lankan naval official said the President will stay out in the sea until it’s safe for him to return to the mainland. > Social media footage apparently filmed at [#Colombo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colombo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) port shows luggage being loaded to [#SriLanka](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@srilanka_navy](https://twitter.com/srilanka_navy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ship SLNS GAJABAHU raising fears of a VVIP or a family is leaving the country. A voice in the background can be heard in Sinhala saying 'Gota is leaving' [#SriLankaCrisis](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLankaCrisis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/xuFIt29qN2](https://t.co/xuFIt29qN2) > > — LankaFiles (@lankafiles) [July 9, 2022](https://twitter.com/lankafiles/status/1545701313971101696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Reports have surfaced that luggage was rushed onto the ship anchored at the Colombo Port, *News 1st* channel reported on Saturday. Sources said this was the contingency plan that had to be activated earlier than anticipated. Rajapaksa was using the President’s House as his residence and office since protesters came to occupy the entrance to his office in early April. 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