Third death tragedy at RockNess festival in three years

Published on Sunday 14 June 2009 21:59

SCOTLAND'S RockNess music festival has seen its third death in three years.

The man, who has not yet been named, was taken by ambulance from the festival site at the village of Dores to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, where he died three hours later from a pre-existing medical condition.

Police said the man had become increasingly ill after arriving at the RockNess site with a friend around noon on Saturday.

He received medical treatment from paramedics and was taken to the hospital at 4pm, where his condition rapidly deteriorated and he died at 7pm.

A Northern Constabulary spokeswoman said: "The man had a pre-existing medical condition and there is no indication of any suspicious circumstances contributing to his death.

"A post mortem may be carried out to confirm the cause of death."

Yesterday the event commander, Chief Superintendent Andy Cowie said: "It is a very sad time for the young man's family and friends and our sympathies are with them at this time."

RockNess Festival director Jim King said of the tragedy: "It's a police matter. Obviously our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family."

Last year 18-year-old Ryan Munro, from Hopeman, Moray, died in front of the festival's main stage of a drugs overdose.

At the 2007 festival 39-year-old Dundee businessman Paul Litterick was found dead in his car at the event after overdosing on heroin.

Strenuous efforts have been made by the ambulance service, police and festival organisers to make the event as safe as possible for revellers.

In publicity leading up to the event, Resilience Manager for the Scottish Ambulance Service, Bob MacGregor, reminded festival-goers to bring any prescribed medicines such as asthma inhalers with them.

Drug amnesty bins were positioned at the entrances to the festival site as organisers stepped up attempts to avoid a repeat of the deaths of the past two years.

Festival-goers were able to dump drugs with no questions asked, and police denied they were being soft on drugs, saying they would crack down hard on anyone found in possession inside the site.

Over the course of the weekend police carried out 121 positive drug searches in and around the site, of which 12 people will be reported in connection with alleged intent to supply.

Police said there had been a significant reduction in crime at the festival compared to the previous year.

A total of 35,000 people attended the weekend event with more than 26,000 watching last night's headlining acts which included The Prodigy, Biffy Clyro and Placebo.

The warm weather meant that the festival site had not been turned into a sea of mud, and fans wore T-shirts instead of rain ponchos.

Mr King said: "We're very pleased with the way the event has gone and everyone seems to have had a great time and the weather has really helped.

"We're grateful for all the support we've received from fans. "