Dar es Salaam
Paulo George, a Swiss national who jumped to his death on Wednesday at the London Health Centre in Dar es Salaam, has not only left grief among friends, relatives and those who knew him, but also
curiosity on what really transpired.Authorities in Dar es Salaam say George who was in his 60s took his own life due to frustrations after his tourist boat caught fire on January 12, at Slipway. He was on the boat at the time of the accident.
Special Zone Police Commander, Lazaro Mambosasa said Mr George committed suicide after throwing himself from the fourth floor of the hospital where he was hospitalized on Wednesday after suffering burns from the fire.
“The boat was his livelihood, he made it his home as well an economic activity for tourists in the country,” said Mambosasa.
Mambosasa hinted that George, who had lived alone, used the boat as his resting haven after returning from his other daily activities.
“His boat was enlisted for Yacht Club membership in Dar es Salaam, and it was his biggest source of income,” said Mambosasa.
He detailed that George often rented the boat for tours on islands, and beach parties.
Reports from the scene say the boat caught on fire after an explosion was instigated by LPG cooking equipment. The inferno was spotted by marine security officers who were patrolling the Indian Ocean.
Commander of Police Force’s Marine Unit, Evance Mwijage said a blanket of thick smoke was seen as the unit law enforcers approached the scene.
“Workers from another boat had rushed to the burning vessel for rescue operations. That’s when they found the SeaQ’s Yacht-Master, Mr George’s laying on the floor with burns on his head, legs, and hands,” he said.
The victim was then taken to the London Health Centre, a private hospital located in Msasani, Dar es Salaam where he was admitted on the First Floor for treatment, according to him.
“On Wednesday, he circumvented nurses at around 01.30 pm and proceeded to the fourth floor of the facility where he threw himself to the ground through the window, leading to his death,” said Mwijage.
“The incident could have been caused by his frustration after his SeaQ caught fire,” he said, adding that the body of the deceased was then taken to the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) for preservation.
According to the marine officer, the SeaQ yacht has a length of 15 meters and the capacity to accommodate not more than 11 people at a go.
“Incidents of yachts catching fire are seldom. Most of those that happen are caused by electrical faults and disruptions of systems,” said Mwijage.
He said George was a known figure by the marine office for the last two years, especially due to his usual cruise to Zanzibar and other Islands along the Indian Ocean.
A worker at the Slipway Hotel who requested for anonymity said he knew the deceased from the first day he started operating the SeaQ at the Slipway area.
“He is a father to one male child. His wife had left for England after an unresolved conflict between them,” said the source, adding; “George was a loner. He used to spend most of his time inside the boat.”
The source said the deceased used to work with two other people and that they sometimes slept together in the boat.
“However, at the time of the accident George was alone,” he said.
The Kinondoni Regional Police Commander (RPC), Ramadhan Kingai, said law enforcers were still looking for information that would enable them to establish the exact year the deceased started living in the country and also understand the reasons behind his decision to live in a boat.
“His traveling documents and residency permits will enable us to properly understand the deceased,” he told this paper over the phone.
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