As horrific as the coordinated attacks were at hotels and churches in Sri Lanka yesterday, we were spared from even greater carnage than originally planned.
The death toll has risen to 290. Authorities are still discovering more bodies. Terrorists targeted historic houses of worship and upscale hotels, in a campaign of fear and destruction. Images and video of bombs going off during Easter services presented a stark juxtaposition of love and hate. Crowded breakfast buffets were targetted at hotels like the Shangri-La, maiming guests simply eating their breakfast and workers serving them.
But it could have been worse.
An improvised pipe bomb was found on the road leading to Bandaranaike International Airport. Upon its discovery, a team from the Sri Lankan Air Force was successfully able to dismantle it. Imagine if bombs had gone off inside the airport. Imagine another string of roadside bombs had gone off, doubling the death toll.
The revelation that it could have been far worse is not anything to celebrate. But it is something to be thankful for.
I’ve been to Colombo with my wife. I’ve been to Colombo with Lucky from One Mile at a Time. I’ve walked by hotels that were targetted yesterday. It is truly sobering; a sad reminder of how fragile life is.
CONCLUSION
Now’s not the time to speculate whether it is safe to travel to Sri Lanka. From over 9,000 miles away, all I can do is join with people of good conscience in condemning these attacks and offering my thoughts and prayers for the victims and for the nation.
Let’s hope that the terrorists are not given the satisfaction of instilling long-term fear into citizens, residents, and visitors of what is a remarkable country.
image: John Taggart / Wikimedia Commons
>Now’s not the time to speculate whether it is safe to travel to Sri Lanka.
I don’t think we need to speculate. The US Department of State says it’s really not very safe:
“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.”
International SOS, whom I actually trust more than the State Department, because they have no political motivations, goes even further:
“All overland journeys should be conducted after confirmation with local sources that routes are clear. Avoid the vicinity of churches, increase vigilance and minimise time spent around densely populated and/or poorly secured areas. These include popular tourist locations and public areas of hotels.”
Everybody obviously has their own risk tolerances, but the security experts are warning that normal tourist activities are at risk right now.
I know people on a cruise that’s scheduled to stop in Sri Lanka this Saturday. They haven’t heard yet from the cruise line whether that’s changing.
Yet another example of Islamo-fascists preying on innocent Christians and other Westerners. Remind me again how is this a religion a peace?
So you show the photo of the airplane why? If all you see is the headline & photo, you assume bombs on planes…clearly NOT the case here. Terribly click-baity.
I strongly disagree. That was not the intention at all. If you have a royalty-free photo of CMB airport, do send.
Not sure if you’ve seen this https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2019/04/23/saudia-airlines-cabin-crew-and-pilots-caught-up-in-sri-lanka-terror-attacks/amp/
I tend to disagree with the notion that “it could’ve been worse”, there’s nothing worse than innocent people losing their lives regardless of how many they were. The numbers could’ve been bigger, but the tragedy is the same.