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In a tragic incident, a promising sous chef from South Africa lost his life in an electric buggy mishap while on his way back to his vacation residence on billionaire Richard Branson’s exclusive Caribbean island on Friday night, as reported.
The victim, 37-year-old Sihle Somdaka, a father to two children, reportedly lost control of the buggy after enjoying a farewell party at the island’s Great House, which was once owned by Branson and his spouse, according to The Sun.
Although Branson was not present on the island during the mishap, he expressed being “deeply saddened” and has communicated with Somdaka’s mourning family and the Necker Island team, as per a statement released to The Sun.
Somdaka left the party shortly after midnight and was rolling down a steep hillside in one of the resort’s buggies when he spun out of control and crashed, the outlet reported.
The island’s medical staff performed CPR and transported him by boat to a hospital off the island, officials told the publication.
He was pronounced dead shortly after, having apparently suffered a fatal head injury, authorities said.
The renowned chef was originally from Cape Town and was known for his stints at high-end restaurants in Kuwait and Qatar before landing the position at Branson’s Caribbean resort.
Mere days before the tragic crash, he was posting beachside photos of himself on social media, celebrating his entry into the “Caribbean life” complete with jet skis and sunsets galore.
The British Virgin Island authorities launched an investigation into Somdaka’s death and are working with Necker Island staff to piece together what exactly happened the night leading up to the crash.
One insider, though, pinned blame on the “culture of excess” on Branson’s multi-million dollar island dreamscape.
“They’ve had very many close shaves and near misses over the years… It was only a matter of time, but it should never have happened,” the source told The Sun.
Previous star guests on the island include the late Princess Diana, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, and even Barack Obama for his first family vacation after his presidency concluded in 2017.