South Africa's ambassador to France has been found dead at the foot of the Hyatt Hotel, a high-rise tower in Porte Maillot in the west of Paris, newspaper Le Parisien reported on Tuesday.

After being reported missing on Monday, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa was found dead outside the Hyatt Hotel in Paris, prosecutors confirmed to the daily Le Parisien.

While it is believed that the 58-year-old diplomat might have jumped from the 22nd floor, an investigation has been opened.

The embassy's website says Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel "Nathi" Mthethwa was South Africa's minister of arts and culture from 2014 to 2019, adding sports to his portfolio from 2019 to 2023.

The ambassador had been reported missing by his wife after she received a text message from him that worried her, Le Parisien reported.

As of this writing, the South African Embassy in Paris has not yet issued a statement on the incident.