A British project manager, Philip Mawer, 58, was killed in a violent siege in Mozambique in March 2021, after choosing to stay behind to allow women and children to leave first, an inquest has heard. Mawer was working in Palma, a coastal town in northern Mozambique, when Al-Shabaab—a group linked to the Islamic State—launched an attack on his hotel on 24 March 2021. The following day, he was offered a place in an evacuation convoy but refused, insisting that women and children should be prioritized. The inquest, held at Winchester Coroner’s Court in England, heard that Mawer later joined another evacuation effort on 26 March, but was killed when a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) struck the vehicle he was driving. Mawer had been working in Mozambique for over a decade and was the country manager for RA International, a firm contracted to build housing for workers at a major gas field project. The company had initially evacuated staff in December 2020 due to rising terrorist threats, but the order was reversed in January 2021. Despite knowing that Al-Shabaab was active in the area, RA International assessed the risk as low enough for work to continue. Mawer had been staying at the Amarula Hotel with a fellow project manager, Gordon Rhattigan, who said he had turned down an invitation to join Mawer for lunch on the day of the attack. Mawer returned to the hotel alone and became trapped during the siege, which involved reports of beheadings and heavy gunfire. During the inquest, RA International’s chief operating officer, Lars Narfeldt, explained that the initial reports of the attack were unclear, but the situation quickly escalated. Mawer had already declined an earlier evacuation opportunity, and on 25 March, he was offered a place in an armored vehicle but chose instead to drive a different vehicle. He was killed shortly after, with a pathologist confirming that the injuries from the explosion were fatal. Mawer’s colleagues described him as a strong, friendly, and respected individual who had been well-suited to the job due to his local knowledge and experience in several African countries. The inquest into Mawer’s death is ongoing, with more details expected to be presented over the coming days. His decision to prioritize others during the crisis has been highlighted as a key aspect of his final actions.