President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled Sri Lanka on a military jet, amid mass protests over the island"s economic crisis, writes BBC.

The country’s air force confirmed the 73-year-old flew to the Maldives with his wife and two security officials. In his absence, he has appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting president.

Mr Rajapaksa’s departure ends a family dynasty that has dominated Sri Lanka’s politics for the past two decades.

The president had been in hiding after crowds stormed his residence on Saturday, and had pledged to resign on Wednesday 13 July.

A source told the BBC that Mr Rajapaksa will not remain in the Maldives and intends to travel on to a third country.