Sri Lanka says 42 foreigners among Easter victims

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COLOMBO, April 30, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities have identified
42 foreign nationals among the 253 people killed in the string of Easter
suicide bombings, officials said Tuesday.

Another 12 foreigners remain unaccounted for and could be among still
unidentified bodies at Colombo’s police morgue, foreign ministry officials
said.

Five wounded foreigners were still in hospital after the April 21 blasts at
churches and hotels claimed by the Islamic State group.

A ministry statement said the highest number of victims were from India
(11) followed by Britain (six), China (four) and Denmark (three).

Saudi Arabia, Spain and Turkey lost two nationals each. Bangladesh, Japan,
the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, United States, all lost one national.

There were six other people with more than one nationality.

Previously authorities had said that 40 foreign nationals were killed and
had not given a breakdown on their nationalities.

“Human remains of 25 foreign nationals have been repatriated by Monday
evening,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Additionally, 12 foreign nationals are unaccounted for at present, and
could be among the unidentified victims at the Colombo Judicial Medical
Officer’s mortuary.”

Identification of those killed at the luxury hotels was difficult because
many of the bodies were badly mutilated, health authorities have said.

The government has declared a state of emergency after the devastating
blasts and banned two jihadists groups accused of responsibility for the
bombings.

Many tourists have left the country after the attacks and there has been a
sharp decline in the number of foreigners visiting the island after several
countries warned against travel to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s finance ministry expects a 30-percent decline in tourist
arrivals this year leading to a loss in revenues of about $1.5 billion.