British Man Gave Up His Place on Rescue Helicopter Before Being Killed in Mozambique Siege

A British contractor who was killed during a deadly insurgent attack in Mozambique had given up his place on an evacuation helicopter so that women, children and other vulnerable people could leave first, a British coroner has found.

Philip Mawer, 58, from Shaftesbury in Dorset, was working in northern Mozambique when militants attacked the town of Palma in March 2021. He was among dozens of people trapped at the Amarula Hotel during the siege.

An inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that helicopters were being used to evacuate people from the area. Mawer was offered an opportunity to leave but gave up his place so that women, children and sick people could be evacuated first.

The coroner, Jason Pegg, said Mawer had demonstrated what he described as exceptional courage by putting other people ahead of himself. Hampshire County Council’s official inquest listing confirms that the investigation into Mawer’s death was held in Winchester in September 2026.

Mawer had spent about 18 months working in Mozambique, where he managed the construction of camps for workers involved in a nearby natural-gas project. When the attack began, he became part of a group attempting to escape the besieged hotel.

The inquest heard that Mawer also declined a place in an armoured vehicle during the attempted escape. Instead, he chose to travel in his own vehicle with two other passengers.

The convoy came under attack as it tried to leave Palma. Mawer’s vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, killing him on March 26, 2021. The coroner concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

A colleague, Nick Armstrong, told the inquest that those trapped at the hotel were frightened and had realised there was no clear rescue plan for everyone. He described Mawer as a strong presence during the crisis.

Mawer’s death came during a major assault on Palma by militants linked to Islamic State. The violence forced thousands of people to flee the region and became one of the most serious attacks in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province.

More than five years after Mawer’s death, the inquest has now provided his family with a formal account of the circumstances surrounding his final days.

His brother William Mawer described Philip as a generous man with a strong sense of humour and an ability to deal with extremely difficult situations, according to evidence reported from the hearing.

Sources:
BBC News – Philip Mawer gave up helicopter place during Mozambique attack
AFP – UK man died putting women and children first in Mozambique siege
The Independent – Philip Mawer inquest report
Hampshire County Council – Official inquest listing