On the morning of 16 September 2000, at around 9.30am, Ashraff boarded a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Mi-17 helicopter at the Police Grounds at Bambalapitiya. The flight to Ampara District was to have taken him over Kandy, Randenigala, Maha Oya and Iginiyagala. Besides Ashraff there were 14 others on board - nine party officials, three bodyguards and two crew members. About 40/45 minutes after take-off the helicopter lost radio contact with air traffic controllers. Another SLAF helicopter was sent to search for the missing helicopter in the Hasalaka-Randenigala area. The wreckage of Ashraff's helicopter was found in flames on Bible Rock near Aranayake in Kegalle District. By the time the SLAF rescue team landed and reached the site the police, assisted by locals, had removed most of the bodies. Ashraff's funeral was held on the same day, at around midnight, at Colombo's Jawatta Muslim burial ground.