Man dies after medical incident inside Download Festival Arena at Castle Donington
A man taken from the crowd by medics as Iron Maiden began their headline set at this year's Download Festival has died, police have confirmed.
The man, who hasn’t been named, was taken ill shortly before 9pm on Saturday evening (June 11) following the Deftones performance, just as rock legends Iron Maiden took to the stage at the Castle Donington music festival.
Emergency services attended to him while the headline show got underway before he was taken from the Arena.
The man was taken to the Derby Royal Infirmary, but later died. Eyewitnesses at the scene have described the moment the incident happened as thousands began to rock out with Iron Maiden.
"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," one eyewitness told said.
"It was during the first song that they were taken away. I don’t think many people realised what was happening at first," they added.
In a statement, Leicestershire Police confirmed it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
"We can confirm the death of a man who had been attending the Download Festival in Castle Donington at the weekend," said a force spokesman.
They added: "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.
An East Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We received a call at 12.49pm on Saturday 11 June to Castle Donington, Leicestershire, to assist with a medical emergency."
"The air ambulance was in attendance and assisted medical teams on site."No further details on this incident are known, with the person’s condition also unknown.