Sihle Somdaka, a 37-year-old executive sous chef from Cape Town, South Africa, died in an electric buggy crash on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island late on Friday (29.08.25). Branson, who was not on the island at the time, has been left "deeply saddened" by the tragedy, according to reports.
The incident occurred shortly before midnight after Somdaka attended a farewell party at the island's Great House. He lost control of the buggy while driving down a steep hillside. Island medics performed CPR before a doctor was flown in from neighbouring Moskito Island. Somdaka was then transported by boat to Peebles Hospital on Tortola, where he was pronounced dead from a head injury.
Police in the British Virgin Islands have launched a full investigation into the crash. Staff on Necker Island are cooperating with local authorities to establish the circumstances. A source alleged there had been "a culture of excess" at the luxury resort, noting "very many close shaves and near misses over the years".
Somdaka, a father of two, had previously worked in high-end restaurants in the Middle East, including in Doha and Kuwait, before joining the £95,000-a-night private island. Days before his death, he shared images on social media of himself enjoying the beaches and jet skis, captioning one photograph: "Caribbean life."
