Remains of Sri Lankan man killed in Israel brought to island
November 9, 2023 09:45 am
The body of the Sri Lankan national named Sujith Bandara Yatawara, who was killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, was brought to the island this morning (Nov. 09).
Yatawara was initially suspected to have been taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, however, he was later confirmed dead in Israel.
He had remained missing since October 07, the day Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns to launch an unprecedented attack. Subsequently, the DNA samples provided by Bandara’s children were sent to Israel for further investigations.
Yatawara, who hailed from Wennappuwa, had travelled to Israel in 2015 for a job opportunity.
According to Ada Derana correspondent, the FlyDubai flight FZ579 carrying Yatawara’s remains touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at around 8:37 a.m. today.
The deceased’s wife and two children, aged 13 and 09, were present at the airport premises to receive the casket. Additionally, a group of state officials including State Minister Arundika Fernando, and Foreign Employment Bureau officials were also seen there.
The final rites of Yatawara are scheduled to be carried out at the Madawalapitiya public cemetery in Thulawela, Wennappuwa.
