THE family of plane plunge student Alana Cutland are investigating whether a yellow fever jab could have driven her insane before she jumped from a plane.

They are making urgent inquiries after being contacted by a former BBC war correspondent who told how he became a “raving lunatic” after having the inoculation.

4 It is feared Alana may have had a reaction to a vaccine

4 The young woman had been well before she went on the trip Credit: PA:Press Association

4 The vaccine for Yellow Fever called Stamaril Credit: Stamaril

Alana’s parents Neil and Alison now believe their 19-year-old daughter’s hallucinations could have been caused by yellow fever vaccine Stamaril.

A relative said: “We have been contacted by Malcolm Brabant who has conducted research on malaria drugs and the effects combined with yellow fever medication and we are now looking into this.

“He told us he had read the story speculating Alana’s hallucinations and was writing to suggest that the yellow fever vaccine Stamaril could have contributed to her condition, especially if mixed with Larium (Mefloquine), an anti mosquito drug.

“He said he went insane as a result of taking Stamaril for a trip to Africa.”

Cambridge student Alana plunged 3,700 feet to her death after opening the door of a light aircraft over Madagascar, East Africa.

NO PREVIOUS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

Her family say she was hallucinating at the time and didn’t intend to deliberately kill herself.

The relative said the teen’s extreme paranoia could have been caused by the combination of taking both drugs and her parents were looking into this.

He said Alana had taken anti-malaria tablets, with no adverse effect, on her trip to China last year.

For her latest trip to Madagascar to research rare blue crab she took anti-malaria medication and had a yellow fever jab which is mandatory for Africa.

He said Alana had always been “healthy, fit and well” with no mental health issues and “something had caused her hallucinations”.

He added: “The family want answers. We can’t bring Alana back but we can hopefully find out what affected her state of mind and led to this awful accident."

The NHS is also investigating the yellow fever vaccine following “serious, suspected adverse reactions in UK travellers”.

Journalist Mr Brabant, 64, was convinced he was the Messiah, the devil and Winston Churchill and heard voices telling him to “kill” after having the vaccine Stamaril ahead of a trip to the Ivory Coast in 2011.

He told Alana’s family this week that “other people have been in contact with him saying they also suffered hallucinations as a result of Stamaril”.

He added: “It is a live issue. The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) is conducting an investigation into the recent spike in adverse events relating to neuro psychotic problems as a result of Stamaril.”

Alana had everything to live for, nothing to die for, and we don’t think for a moment she deliberately took her own life Alana's uncle Lester Riley

Alana from Milton Keynes, Bucks, was being flown home because of concerns about her mental health when she threw herself to her death over the island’s vast jungle despite the efforts of the pilot and a fellow Brit passenger to save her.

The relative said: “The family want to go to Madagascar although we know it is unlikely we’ll ever find her body.

“They are trying to cope but it is a very traumatic time.”

Alana’s mum, a Cranfield University worker, and her environmental engineer dad, who have a 17-year-old son, paid tribute to their daughter as “a bright, independent young woman, who was loved and admired by all those who knew her".

Alana’s uncle Lester Riley previously told how Alana’s parents had encouraged their daughter to cut short her six week trip and come home.

He said: “She had taken ill after being there for a few days and when she spoke to her mother on the phone two days before the accident she was mumbling and sounded pretty incoherent.

“We think she had suffered a severe reaction to some drugs."

Yesterday it emerged that Alana had been so delusional that she believed she would be jailed for not finishing her conservation project.

4

FRANTIC LAST PHONE CALL

Retired electrician Mr Riley, 68, from Nottingham: “What happened, the family believe, was a tragic accident not a suicide and we are utterly heartbroken.

“Alana had everything to live for, nothing to die for, and we don’t think for a moment she deliberately took her own life.

She was hallucinating, she was unwell, something had made her ill, it must have been a reaction to medication.

“Alana had everything to live for, nothing to die for.”

Her uncle explained how she had had a frantic last phone call to her mum two days before her death and six days into her travels.

He said: “She was mumbling and in a really bad way and both of them were really worried because they didn’t know what was wrong.

“She wanted to finish her trip but her mum said it was best she come home and get better, and she finally agreed to that.

“There was something wrong with her. My sister was frantic and called the Embassy for help.

“They advised she should see a doctor in the country and then come back to England. And Alana agreed.

The aviation experts' view Aviation experts say for the 19-year-old to force the door open, against the force of the air pressure outside the Cessna’s cabin, would have required strength usually shown by someone having a severe psychotic episode. One told The Telegraph: “It is extraordinarily difficult to push a door open during a flight when a plane is going at 120 knots. You have to have a lot of strength and be really determined to do that. “Firstly she would have had to take off her seat belt, push forward the seat in front of her then open the door and force it open mid-air, all while fighting her fellow passenger who was trying to hold her back. "That takes incredible strength and determination.”

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Lester said the Biological Natural Sciences student, who was going into her third year, wanted to work in wildlife and zoology after graduating.

He described his niece, who he last saw seven months ago, as “a lovely young lady, very outgoing.”

He added: “She didn’t have a boyfriend that I was aware of but had a passion for life."

The vaccine is made by French pharmaceutical manufacturers Sanofi Pasteur.

The Sun Online has contacted the company for a comment and is awaiting a reply.

Cambridge uni student, 19, broke open door of plane and jumped to her death after overpowering fellow passenger on Madagascar flight

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