Mum and son feared to be among British victims of Sri Lanka attacks
Written by News on 22/04/2019
A British lawyer and her son are feared to be among eight British victims of the Easter Sunday blasts in Sri Lanka which claimed at least 290 lives.
Anita Nicholson, 42, was waiting for breakfast with Alex, 11, and her young daughter Annabel when the Shangri-La Hotel in the capital city of Colombo was attacked.
The condition of Annabel is unknown, while husband Ben, also a lawyer, has reportedly survived.
The British family of four had been living in Singapore, where Mrs Nicholson worked as managing counsel for mining company Anglo American.
Two of the eight British victims had dual US citizenship, according to the Sri Lankan foreign ministry.
Among the other victims were three children of the Danish billionaire and ASOS shareholder Anders Holch Povlsen.
His family were on a trip to the country as the eight coordinated attacks took place at hotels and churches.
The deaths of the Povlsen children was confirmed by his spokesman.
Mr Povlsen is the largest shareholder in online clothes retailer ASOS and owns other brands such as Jack&Jones – and he is also the largest private landowner in Scotland.
Hampstead and Kilburn MP Tulip Siddiq said she had also lost a relative in the attacks, posting on Twitter: “It’s all so devastating. Hope everyone is keeping safe. Solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.”
At least 39 foreigners are thought to have died in the attacks, according to officials.
Another victim was a young woman who had studied at the University of London – Sri Lankan Nisanga Mayadunne and her mother Shantha reportedly died at the Shangri-La.
The former UK student posted a photo of her eating breakfast with her family hours before the blast.
Radha Fonseca, a friend of Nisanga, told Gulf News: “When I heard the news, I was left numbed and shocked. I don’t know what more to say.
“Nisanga was a very popular girl in college.
“Besides the fact that she was bright and smart, her mother Shantha Mayadunne, a renowned chef, made her more popular in college. She was well respected and an inspirational chef for Sri Lankans.”
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt described the attack as “absolutely devastating and despicable”, adding: “For this to happen on Easter Day is something that will shake people around the world, of all faiths and none, to the core.”
Emergency powers have come into force in Sri Lanka as officials work to identify those responsible for the attacks.
The powers will allow police and the military officers to detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.
Police are to investigate whether warnings of attacks were ignored or missed before the violence in eight locations across the country.
The Sri Lankan government has also blocked all social media in a bid to “ease tensions”.
(c) Sky News 2019: Mum and son feared to be among British victims of Sri Lanka attacks
