The final words of scientist David Goodall before he lost consciousness at an assisted suicide clinic were "this is taking an awfully long time".

The British-born ecologist, 104, had travelled to the Swiss clinic from his home in Australia, where euthanasia is forbidden.

Staff at the clinic near Basel told Sky News that Dr Goodall had "gone in peace".

He died at 12.30pm local time from a lethal injection, turning a wheel himself to start the flow of the solution.

Sky's Michelle Clifford said she could hear Beethoven's 9th Symphony coming from the room where he was being helped to die.


He chose fish and chips, followed by cheesecake, as his final meal on Wednesday night.

David #Goodall with his family who are filling out witness forms ahead of his assisted suicide says “what are we waiting for?”. He tells me he is certain he has made the right decision as his life has been very hard in recent years pic.twitter.com/iteul01vuU — Michelle Clifford (@skynewsmichelle) May 10, 2018

The world-renowned ecologist had told reporters he might play Ode To Joy from the symphony to accompany his death.

He died at the moment the song concluded, said Exit International - a campaign group that helped Dr Goodall travel to the clinic.

As his family filled out witness forms ahead of the procedure, Dr Goodall asked: "What are we waiting for?"

The scientist, who was not terminally ill, had asked for no funeral or remembrance ceremony.

Yesterday, while wearing a jumper with the words "Aging Disgracefully", he told a news conference: "There are many things I would like to do, but it's too late."

"I'm content to leave them undone," he added.

Image: Dr Goodall visited botanical gardens on Wednesday with three of his grandchildren

Four family members and a close friend had travelled to be at his side when he ended his life.

Dr Goodall told reporters on Wednesday: "One should be free to choose the death, when death is at an appropriate time.

"My abilities have been in decline over the past year or two, my eyesight over the past six years.

"I no longer want to continue life."

The 104-year-old ended his life by taking the lethal drug Nembutal intravenously.

He was asked questions on who he was, where he was and what he was about to do, before a canula was put in his arm and he started the flow into his veins.

Dr Goodall had the option to change his mind at any time.

Assisted dying: One should 'be free to decide'

Before losing consciousness, his last words were "this is taking a long time", according to Exit International's Dr Philip Nitschke, who added that he died shortly thereafter.

Sky's Michelle Clifford said police and coroner officials would now need to visit the clinic to make sure the assisted suicide was carried out properly.

Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since the 1940s if performed by someone with no direct interest in the death.

Dr Goodall was born in London in 1914 and moved in 1948 to Australia, where he was a lecturer at the University of Melbourne.

He produced dozens of research papers and until recently continued to review and edit for different ecology journals.

Image: Dr Goodall was a world-renowned ecologist. Pic: GoFundMe

Dr Goodall requested that his body be donated to medicine and, if not, that his ashes be sprinkled locally.

"He wishes to have no funeral, no remembrance service or ceremony. David has no belief in the afterlife," Dr Nitschke said.

Last month, he told Australian broadcaster ABC: "I greatly regret having reached that age (104)...

"I'm not happy. I want to die. It's not sad particularly. What is sad is if one is prevented.

"My feeling is that an old person like myself should have full citizenship rights including the right of assisted suicide."

Assisted suicide is illegal in most countries around the world and was banned in Australia until the state of Victoria became the first to legalise the practice last year.

But that legislation, which takes effect from June 2019, only applies to terminally ill patients of sound mind and a life expectancy of less than six months.