A University of Miami student has passed away after attending the 2016 Ultra Music Festival. 21-year-old Adam Levine attended the festival on Friday, March 18th and died later that same day at Miami hospital, according to the Miami Herald.
Festival officials are not saying much and the specifics of the young man’s death are still very murky.
“While we don’t have many details, we know that our security personnel noticed that Adam was having difficulties and immediately called Miami Fire paramedics so medical assistance could occur,” Festival Head of Security, Ray Martinez explained to the paper. “From what we have been told, paramedics initiated medical treatment and transported Adam to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Most unfortunately, Adam passed away at the hospital.”
The festival is cooperating fully with authorities.
Ultra Music Festival is an Electronic Dance Music festival that has occurred annually in Miami since 1997, and has recently branched out into cities across the world such as Ibiza, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Bangkok. This years lineup featured a long list of EDM mainstays such as Chet Faker, DJ Snake, Tiesto and deadmau5 as well as popular alternative acts Crystal Castles and Purity Ring.
This is not the festival’s first brush with death, as another 21 year old, Adonis Escoto passed away two years ago at the festivals 2014 installment.
Levine, originally from Virginia, was a senior majoring in political science and a member of the University of Miami student government.
Deaths and serious injuries have become commonplace at Electronic Music gatherings around the world. A deadly mix of drugs, alcohol and dehydration often has deadly consequences for festival-goers. Fifteen people have died at music festivals so far in this young year alone, and with festival season yet to even reach it’s prime here in the United States, that number is guaranteed to go up.
As much as festivals try to put stringent security guidelines in place to ensure drugs and alcohol do not get past the entry gates, those measures are ultimately more for show, as people will always manage to find a way to sneak things in or simply use before they get to the venue. A huge effort has been made to educate attendees of these festivals and tents providing water and medical help are almost always available, but it appears these efforts must be expanded in the name of saving the lives of the young people who attend these events
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