Teenager on his gap year died after tribal ritual

A TEENAGER on a gap year died after drinking hallucinogenic herbs in a tribal ritual, an inquest heard yesterday.

Henry Miller, 19, pictured, had paid around £13 to take part in the ceremony, his second on his travels in Colombia.

The ayahuasca or yage herb quickly gave him severe breathing problems, and the son of the shaman in charge tried to get him to hospital. The shaman’s son realised halfway there that Mr Miller had died – and left his body on the roadside where it was found by police.

Ignatius Hughes, representing the Miller family at the inquest in Bristol, said they were anxious travellers should be made aware of the dangers of tribal rituals.

‘I should alert the court to their concern that other young travellers might benefit from being made aware of the small but real dangers inherent in this perfectly lawful practice,’ said the QC.

‘We understand from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that consideration is being given to a standard message to travellers when they visit the FCO website for that part of the world.’

Christopher Deardon was among a dozen tourists at the ceremony during which they were invited to drink from a small cup with herbs. ‘I threw up after about 15 minutes, and when I came back, Henry seemed to be feeling the effects straight away,’ he said.

In a statement read to the inquest, Mr Miller’s father David said his son, from Kingsdown, Bristol, had worked at Bristol University and a call centre to save for his travels. He had been due to study English at the University of Brighton.

Senior coroner Maria Voisin recorded that the death was accidental. She ruled it was caused by intoxication of yage and a related drug known as scopolamine.

A trial investigating Mr Miller’s death in April 2014 was held last month by the tribe involved. It concluded there was no intention to harm him.

The tribe said it will now create an ethical code advising travellers on how to use yage safely.