Former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and his wife Mrs Ayoma Rajapaksa along with his private secretary Sugeeshwara Bandara have left Katunayake Airport for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia en route to China, airport sources said.

According to sources they had left this morning at 12:25 a.m. for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Malaysia Airlines flight MH-178. But sources said despite the former president being able to use the VIP entrance or regular terminal he had chosen to use the airport air cargo terminal for his departure from the Katunayake airport instead.