More than 207 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in coordinated bombings across the island nation of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
Eight catastrophic explosions ripped through prominent churches, tourist landmarks and five-star luxury resorts in the deadliest violence the country has seen since an ethno-religiously charged civil war ended ten years ago.
Hours after the blasts, a massive six-foot pipe bomb was discovered at Sri Lanka’s main airport in the capital Colombo, Daily Mail reports.
The device – described as a PVC pipe containing explosives – was found by Air Force personnel and safely destroyed in a controlled area, according to the Sri Lankan Sunday Times.
The harrowing discovery comes after at least 35 foreign visitors were reported dead in Sunday’s attacks, including three British nationals, Americans, Chinese, Portuguese, Turkish and Dutch.
The bombs hit five-star hotels the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand where the manager revealed a suicide bomber detonated his device in the queue for the breakfast buffet.
Three churches located in Kochichikade in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa were also hit during busy Easter services.
Seven suspects have since been arrested in connection with the atrocities.
Last week, the Sri Lankan government issued a public safety warning about a possible Islamist attack on prominent churches, but no group has yet claimed responsibility.
Sri Lanka’s defence ministry implemented a curfew and imposed a nationwide social media ban in the wake of the carnage.
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