Investigation launched by Italian police after British man dies in Sicily

Tuesday, 15 September 2026 21:17

The death of a British man whose body was found in Sicily on Sunday is under investigation, Italian authorities said.

Benjamin John Braithwaite, 35, who was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, was found at around 3am on 13 September near Noto in the Province of Syracuse.

A spokesperson for the Carabinieri, the Italian military police, said a rope had been found nearby.

The presence of injuries or signs of violence - including possible injuries to the neck - remains under investigation.

Investigators are also probing whether drugs or other substances were present, the Carabinieri spokesperson said.

Despite local reports the death was linked to esoteric rituals was found near the body, authorities said there was no evidence to support this.

The spokesperson said: "A drawing with esoteric connotations was found on a perimeter wall of the property.

"It was not near the location where the body was found."

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The Carabinieri spokesperson said there are currently no suspects under investigation.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place on 22 September, with inquiries continuing to establish the circumstances of Mr Braithwaite's death and its exact legal classification.

The investigation is being handled by Carabinieri based in Noto and is being co-ordinated by the public prosecutor's office of the court of Syracuse.

A British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Italy and are in touch with the local authorities."

Sky News