A man has died after being taken ill in the Download Festival crowds shortly before Iron Maiden took to the stage. Emergency services attended to him while the headline show got under way before he was taken from the Arena.
He was taken to the Derby Royal Infirmary, but later died, LeicestershireLive reports. In a statement, Leicestershire Police confirmed it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
The incident happened shortly before 9pm on Saturday (June 11) after the Deftones performance at the Castle Donington music festival. Eyewitnesses have described the moment the man, who has not been named, was taken ill.
One eyewitness told LeicestershireLive : “It happened just before Iron Maiden came on and noticed people were shouting and then paramedics were going back and forth to help whoever it was.
“It was during the first song that they were taken away. I don’t think many people realised what was happening at first.”
Leicestershire police said: “We can confirm the death of a man who had been attending the Download Festival in Castle Donington at the weekend. The man became unwell at the festival on Saturday evening (11 June) and was taken to the Derby Royal Infirmary where he sadly died.
“The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries remain ongoing.”
The man’s death came hours after East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance were dispatched to the festival to reports of a medical emergency involving another festival-goer. Reports suggest this medical incident was on the festival campsites.