Man who was denied asylum status in U.K. drowns trying to jump onto ship to Canada

A man who was denied asylum status in the United Kingdom has drowned in an attempt to jump onto a ship to Canada.

A 36-year-old man named Walid Gamal Yasen Gomaa died on April 28 at the Empress Dock at the Queen Elizabeth 2 Terminal in Southampton, according to the coroner’s office in Hampshire, in south east England.

An investigation into the death, also known as an inquest, was heard on Tuesday. In England, deaths that are considered unnatural require an inquest to determine when, where and how a person died.

Gomaa was an Egyptian national who had been living in the U.K. illegally since 2021, according to a recording of the inquest obtained by National Post. He was denied asylum status upon his arrival. He disappeared until his death.

After living in England for four years, he told a friend he planned to travel to Canada.

Gomaa travelled to Empress Dock and was spotted by crew members who were preparing to sail on the vehicle-carrying ship, the MV Tannhauser, in the early evening. The ship’s second officer was raising the ramp at the rear of the vessel. He said Gomaa ran towards the ramp and got hold of the finger flaps (the end of the ramp). He stopped raising the ramp, as there was a “real risk of Mr. Gomaa falling while having his hands crushed,” the inquest heard.

Gomaa landed on the jetty. The officer attempted to raise the ramp again, but Gomaa decided to make another run for it. Crew members shouted at him to stop.

“On this occasion, he was not able to grab hold of anything. He fell towards the water located between the jetty and the vessel itself,” acting senior coroner Jason Pegg told the inquest, adding that the officer “looked down and saw Mr. Gomaa floating face down in the water.”

Gomaa’s body was recovered by a rescue boat.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning due to “a head injury and a fall into water,” said Pegg. He “struck his head” likely against the vessel, “lost consciousness and fell into the waters and drowned.”

At the time of his death, he was carrying a backpack with a Quran, 600 pounds in cash, and a train ticket from London to Southampton.

A friend of Gomaa told authorities that he last had contact with him six days prior to his death. After Gomaa informed the friend of his plans to travel to Canada, the friend asked how he would get there. “Don’t worry about it,” Gomaa replied.

The inquest also heard that crew members thought it was “quite evident” that Gomaa planned to make his way to Canada on the vessel.

Pegg said that Gomaa’s family in Egypt were aware of his death and they have “not sought to attend the hearing.” He said he sends his condolences to Gomaa’s family and friends.

• What we know about unusual spike in asylum claims at this Quebec border crossing
• Three alleged human smugglers arrested in Quebec, 44 asylum seekers detained

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