A lovesick woman committed
suicide by jumping from the 148th floor of the world’s tallest building – the
Burj Khalifa in Dubai – after a relationship with a wealthy businessman
apparently turned sour.
The death of Laura Vanessa Nunes,
39, in November last year has gone unreported in the autocratic Emirate, where
public information is tightly controlled.
39, in November last year has gone unreported in the autocratic Emirate, where
public information is tightly controlled.
And her devastated mother has
claimed that Emaar, the property group behind the 2,700ft high Burj Khalifa,
has refused to return repeated requests for information about the tragedy.
claimed that Emaar, the property group behind the 2,700ft high Burj Khalifa,
has refused to return repeated requests for information about the tragedy.
Leona Sykes, from South Africa,
travelled to Dubai to seek answers because she can’t believe how easily her
daughter was able to leap from the major tourist attraction with supposed
modern safety features.
travelled to Dubai to seek answers because she can’t believe how easily her
daughter was able to leap from the major tourist attraction with supposed
modern safety features.
She convinced Dubai police to
show her the CCTV taken from the observation deck, despite the harrowing nature
of the footage.
show her the CCTV taken from the observation deck, despite the harrowing nature
of the footage.
According to Ms Sykes, the video
shows Ms Nunes walk towards the viewing platform’s glass security panels and
put her head through a small gap designed to allow tourists to look out and
take photographs.
shows Ms Nunes walk towards the viewing platform’s glass security panels and
put her head through a small gap designed to allow tourists to look out and
take photographs.
She then rushes to the back of
the observation deck, apparently in fear.
the observation deck, apparently in fear.
‘I think she got a fright when
she looked down. She was a panicky terrified young woman,’ said a distraught Ms
Sykes. ‘She walked back to the pane of glass, turned around and looked up,
maybe to get strength or to make a prayer.
she looked down. She was a panicky terrified young woman,’ said a distraught Ms
Sykes. ‘She walked back to the pane of glass, turned around and looked up,
maybe to get strength or to make a prayer.
‘Then she put her head out,
tilted her body and slipped through. And nobody noticed.’
tilted her body and slipped through. And nobody noticed.’
After falling 1,640ft, her body
was found on the terrace of the 3rd floor Amal restaurant, part of the Armani
hotel.
was found on the terrace of the 3rd floor Amal restaurant, part of the Armani
hotel.
Although the Burj Khalifa is a
popular attraction among both tourists and those living in Dubai, Ms Nunes’
death, on November 16 2014, has gone unreported until now.
popular attraction among both tourists and those living in Dubai, Ms Nunes’
death, on November 16 2014, has gone unreported until now.
The suicide took place on a
Sunday afternoon, when the Amal restaurant would typically be packed with
guests.
Sunday afternoon, when the Amal restaurant would typically be packed with
guests.
Messages on mobile phone app
WhatsApp show appear to show how Ms Nunes became increasingly distraught over
her relationship with the businessman whom she first met in 2011.
WhatsApp show appear to show how Ms Nunes became increasingly distraught over
her relationship with the businessman whom she first met in 2011.
Ms Sykes told MailOnline that she
believed her daughter, who held South African and Portuguese citizenship, was
to meet the man two nights before her death.
believed her daughter, who held South African and Portuguese citizenship, was
to meet the man two nights before her death.
Ms Sykes fears that clues about
her daughter’s decision to end her own life may have gone missing.
her daughter’s decision to end her own life may have gone missing.
A BlackBerry mobile phone
recovered from Ms Nunes’ body was returned to Ms Sykes without its SIM card or
memory card.
recovered from Ms Nunes’ body was returned to Ms Sykes without its SIM card or
memory card.
The SIM card would have contained
any messages that Ms Nunes sent while she was on the viewing platform of the
Burj Khalifa contemplating suicide.
any messages that Ms Nunes sent while she was on the viewing platform of the
Burj Khalifa contemplating suicide.
When Ms Sykes contacted the
businessman, he initially denied having any recent contact with Ms Nunes. But
he later admitted that they had been in contact when presented with evidence of
messages sent between the pair.
businessman, he initially denied having any recent contact with Ms Nunes. But
he later admitted that they had been in contact when presented with evidence of
messages sent between the pair.
There is no suggestion of any
wrongdoing on the part of the businessman.
wrongdoing on the part of the businessman.
But Ms Sykes wants to know how
the Burj Khalifa, built at a cost of nearly £1billion as a shining monument to
Dubai’s oil wealth, could ever have installed safety barriers that proved so
easy to elude.
the Burj Khalifa, built at a cost of nearly £1billion as a shining monument to
Dubai’s oil wealth, could ever have installed safety barriers that proved so
easy to elude.
She believes Emaar Properties
should already have been aware of the risk of suicides, after an Indian man
jumped to his death from the 147th floor of the Burj Khalifa in 2011.
should already have been aware of the risk of suicides, after an Indian man
jumped to his death from the 147th floor of the Burj Khalifa in 2011.
‘It’s horrifying,’ said Ms Sykes.
‘My daughter unfortunately wanted to kill herself. But it should not have been
possible for someone to do that. How can you have a top tourist attraction
where that’s possible?’, she queried.
‘My daughter unfortunately wanted to kill herself. But it should not have been
possible for someone to do that. How can you have a top tourist attraction
where that’s possible?’, she queried.
Dailymail
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