Autopsies conducted on tourists who died in Sri Lanka; Exact cause yet to be determined

11 February 2025 01:42 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 5 Bookmark

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Colombo, Feb 11 (Daily Mirror) - The post-mortem examinations of two foreign tourists who died while vacationing in Sri Lanka were conducted on Monday and the exact cause of death is yet to be determined.

Police said the mother and sister of the 24-year-old British woman arrived in Sri Lanka to take her body after the autopsy.

The autopsies into the 24-year-old British national Ebony McIntosh and 26-year-old German tourist Nadine Raguse were conducted on Monday (10) following their sudden illnesses while staying at the Miracle Colombo City hostel in Colombo on February 1.

Police said the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) issued an open verdict, and parts of the bodies were sent to the Government Analyst's Department for further investigation to determine the exact cause of death.

After the autopsy, Ebony McIntosh's body was handed over to her mother, who arrived in Sri Lanka to arrange for the body to be transported back to the UK for final rites.

Police Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manathunga confirmed that McIntosh’s family, including her mother and sister, arrived in Sri Lanka to identify the body.

Meanwhile, the body of Nadine Raguse was handed over to a funeral service to prepare for transportation to Germany, as requested by her family. It was reported that Raguse’s mother had contacted the German Embassy in Sri Lanka, requesting the autopsy and repatriation of the body.

Police said the two women became ill with vomiting at the hostel they were staying in and were hospitalised on February 1. A 30-year-old German man is being treated at a hospital.

The hotel has since been closed by investigators.

It was reported that the room next to Ebony's had been fumigated for bedbugs just days before she fell ill, though it remains unconfirmed if this contributed to the deaths.

The Kollupitiya Police are conducting investigations into the matter.

Comments - 5

Dr Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 11 February 2025 04:56 PM

Is the hotel owner an influential person? Why cause of death is not determined? Are they trying to create some sort of scandal? The hotel if found as the responsible party, will have law suits for compensation. In that case they should be criminally charged with involuntary manslaughter due to negligence. Without these measures, you cannot have 'clean Sri lanka'.

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Perera Wednesday, 12 February 2025 05:45 AM

You clearly are ignorant of the Criminal Procedure Code and the Penal Code. First at least read these before making comments.

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Cassie Tuesday, 11 February 2025 07:44 PM

I feel sorry for the families. They deserve answers. It is not okay for Sri Lanka to conduct an autopsy and conclude that the cause of death is TBD. The body would have evidence of the cause of death if there was vomiting and other symptoms. President must intervene.

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George Tuesday, 11 February 2025 08:18 PM

Hostels in first world countries are better than hotels in SL. What an embarrassment

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Jeeves Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:46 PM

Are you speaking from experience or assumption? Speaking from experience, many countries have varied standards of hotels and hostels! Sri Lanka is no different. However, safety should be priority, and let’s hope there will be thorough investigations, accountability, and lessons learned. These deaths should never have happened, just as tourist deaths from listeria-poisoning from air-conditioning in some European hotels should never have happened!

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