Inquest concludes unlawful killing following the death of Daniel Burke
An inquest at Manchester City Centre’s Coroner Court ruled that Daniel Burke, a 36-year-old from Wythenshawe, was unlawfully killed in Ukraine in September 2023. Burke had traveled to Ukraine in May 2023 to assist those wounded in conflict. His body was found near a training ground in Zaporizhzhya with multiple gunshot wounds. Ukrainian authorities have named a suspect, Abdelfetah ‘Adam’ Nourine, an Australian-Algerian dual national, who confessed to the killing but remains at large. Greater Manchester Police and other agencies assisted in repatriating Burke’s body and supporting his family throughout the investigation.
Manchester Coroner Rules British Aid Worker ‘Unlawfully Killed’ in Ukraine
Daniel Burke, a 36-year-old aid worker from Wythenshawe, was unlawfully killed in Ukraine in September 2023, a Manchester coroner ruled today. Burke had traveled to Ukraine in May 2023 to assist wounded civilians but vanished in August, prompting missing person reports from both his family and contacts in Ukraine.
His remains were discovered near a training ground in Zaporizhzhya on September 16, 2023, and identified through DNA testing three months later. The coroner heard Burke suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Ukrainian authorities have named Australian-Algerian dual national Abdelfetah ‘Adam’ Nourine, also known as ‘Jihadi Adam’, as the prime suspect. A man confessed to the killing but was later released and his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Greater Manchester Police coordinated an international effort to repatriate Burke’s body, working with the Foreign Office and Ukrainian authorities. Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes confirmed the investigation continues as Ukrainian authorities treat the case as homicide. “Daniel was killed, and his family deserve answers,” Hughes stated.
In a statement read by Detective Sergeant Danielle Bullivant, Burke’s family described their ongoing anguish: “No family should ever have to go through the extreme depths of grief and confusion that we have endured.” They remembered Burke as someone who “assisted those who needed it the most and defended what he believed in,” adding that his infectious smile and ability to make others laugh would be how they choose to remember him.
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