South Africa's ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, died Tuesday morning after falling from his hotel room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency in western Paris, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.
A security guard found Mthethwa's body in the hotel's interior courtyard on Tuesday morning.
The diplomat's wife had contacted police Monday evening to report her husband missing after receiving a note from him, the prosecutor's office said. In the note, Mthethwa "apologized and expressed his intention to end his life," prosecutors said.
Investigators found that a window's safety mechanism in Mthethwa's hotel room had been tampered with using scissors, which were found at the scene. Authorities found no evidence of a physical altercation or the presence of narcotics or medication in the room.
South Africa's foreign affairs department verified the ambassador's death and noted that French authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding it.
"Ambassador Mthethwa was a distinguished servant of the nation, whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios," the foreign affairs department said in an official statement. The department characterized his passing as "a national loss."
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described Mthethwa's death as "a moment of deep grief.""In his last tenure of service he has facilitated the deepening of relations between South and the Republic of France, which has produced benefits for individuals and businesses in both countries and advanced our cooperation in the global arena."
According to the South African embassy's official website, Mthethwa previously held multiple government positions within South Africa's administration. He served as the nation's minister of arts and culture from 2014 through 2019, with his responsibilities expanding to include sports from 2019 until 2023.