Philip Mawer, 58, a British country manager for RA International, was killed by an RPG while fleeing the Amarula Hotel during an Islamic State-affiliated siege in Palma, Mozambique. He returned to the hotel for lunch on 24 March 2021, joined a second evacuation convoy on 26 March and declined a seat in a B6-armoured vehicle before the strike. Local militants known as Al-Shabaab had been reported beheading villagers; an earlier evacuation order issued in December 2020 had been rescinded in January 2021. Colleagues described Mr Mawer as experienced, well respected, and deeply familiar with Mozambique; the five-day inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court continues.
British Project Manager Killed by RPG While Fleeing IS-Linked Siege in Mozambique, Inquest Hears
Soldiers from the Mozambican army patrol the streets against IS-linked militants - AFP/ADRIEN BARBIER
A British project manager, Philip Mawer, 58, was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired by Islamic State-affiliated militants as he tried to flee the Amarula Hotel during an attack on Palma, in north-eastern Mozambique, the Winchester coroner's court was told.
Mr Mawer had returned to the Amarula Hotel for lunch on 24 March 2021 and became trapped when militants, locally known as Al-Shabaab (not affiliated with the Somali group of the same name), launched an assault on the town. Reports given to the inquest said insurgents had been beheading villagers in nearby communities.
On 25 March, the South African private military contractor Dyck Advisory Group evacuated 23 people from the hotel. Mr Mawer chose not to leave that day, insisting women and children be prioritised. With the situation deteriorating, he joined a second evacuation convoy on 26 March. He turned down a place in a B6-armoured vehicle and instead travelled in an alternative vehicle. Shortly after the convoy began moving, an RPG struck the vehicle he was in and detonated, killing him.
Philip Mawer had returned to his hotel for lunch when he was trapped by militants
Witnesses and investigators told the inquest that the presence of militants in the Palma area was known while Mr Mawer was working there, but the assessed security risk had been judged low enough for his work to continue as he prepared accommodation for what has been described as "the largest gas operation in Africa."
Mr Mawer was the country manager for RA International, the firm contracted to build worker accommodation for a new Mozambican gas field. RA International says it provides "solutions in sometimes complex and challenging countries," including construction, facilities maintenance and supply chain services.
Having worked across several African countries, Mr Mawer had conducted business in Mozambique for around 10 years. He had persuaded RA International's chief executive, Soraya Narfeldt, that his local knowledge and connections made him the right choice for the role.
A satellite photo shows the Amarula Hotel in Palma, north-eastern Mozambique, in 2021 - Planet Labs Inc.
In December 2020, energy companies and the Mozambican government ordered staff to evacuate because of rising militant activity. That order was rescinded in January 2021 and staff returned to work.
Gordon Rhattigan, a fellow project manager and friend who had been staying at the Amarula with Mr Mawer, told the inquest: "There had been weekly attacks on the outskirts of the village. There was an instance where they took a village and took all the people to a football field and beheaded them there."
Mr Rhattigan described Mr Mawer as "very kind, very funny and very down to earth," widely respected by colleagues and local staff. Ms Narfeldt told the court Mr Mawer was "very much loved, especially in Mozambique," and that his intimate knowledge of the country had been central to his appointment.
The inquest into Mr Mawer's death is scheduled to continue over five days. A satellite image of the Amarula Hotel in Palma from 2021 was presented to the court, credited to Planet Labs Inc.
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