The Mozambican’s body was found in Mortlake after falling from a plane.
An inquest into the death of a stowaway whose body was found in Mortlake last September has today recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Jose Matada, from Mozambique, fell from the undercarriage of a plane flying from Angola on September 9.
Assistant Deputy Coroner Sean Cummings said that evidence suggested Mr Matada was likely to have survived the flight and that he died at the moment of impact.
The inquest also revealed that examination of a SIM card found on his body showed he had sent text messages in the days before his death, saying he ‘wanted to travel to Europe for a better life.’
The SIM card was vital in identifying the body, a police investigation which took over six months.
Mr Matada was found in Portman Avenue, 10 miles from Heathrow where the plane landed.
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