A University of Cambridge student who broke open a plane door over Madagascar and jumped to her death from 5000ft had suffered a flurry of ‘paranoia’ attacks while on the island, it emerged today.
Alana Cutland, 19, from Milton Keynes, threw herself from a Cessna reportedly rented by her worried parents who were bringing her back to the UK after a series of fraught phone calls and desperate email exchanges with their eldest child.
A companion and the pilot had clung on to her legs for several minutes in a desperate attempt to stop her taking her own life.
But she broke free from their ‘exhausted’ grip and jumped to her death on Thursday July 25.
Police have released an extraordinary image of officers recreating the student’s final moments based on the statements of the two other passengers on board.
The second-year Biological Natural Sciences student was on a self-funded study trip where she was analysing the Indian Ocean seabed and the rare endangered crabs living there.
Alana and her parents had several intense and agitated phone calls in the days leading up to her death and she was suffering from ‘stress’ and ‘paranoia’, reports on the island have claimed.
She had been due to stay on Madagascar for six weeks, but cut it short after just eight days following the conversations with her mother Alison, an executive at Cranfield University School of Management and energy consultant Neil Cutland, both 63.
The family rented a small plane to take her from a lodge on the north of the island to Madagascar’s Ivato Antananarivo international airport where she would have flown to Paris and then on to London, according to the Midi-Madagasikara newspaper.
Alana Cutland, 19, from Milton Keynes, pictured with her parents Alison and Neil, who were bringing her home to Britain from Madagascar after she became unwell on her research trip
Authorities shared this photo, a recreation of Ruth Johnson and the pilot’s attempts to save Alana and stop her from jumping out. She fell from the Cessna-style light aircraft while it was above the east African country, about ten minutes after take-off
Cambridge University student Alana Cutland, 19, fell to her death from a light aircraft above Madagascar after reportedly forcing open the door and jumping from 5000ft
Alana was thought to be travelling back from a research trip to the remote area of Anjajavy
Mr and Mrs Cutland convinced researcher Ruth Johnson, 51, to accompany her on the five-seat Cessna-type aircraft because they were worried about their eldest daughter.
But five minutes after take-off Alana broke open the door and fought with Ms Johnson and the pilot as they tried to drag her back into the cabin, Madagascar police chief Sinola Nomenjahary has said.
Mr Nomenjahary said the student had suffered five ‘paranoia attacks’ while on the ‘failed’ research trip to see rare Madagascan crustaceans.
Teams are searching for her body but there are fears that it may not be found because she jumped into remote area of the Madagascan jungle filled with carnivorous wild animals including the rare panther-like fossa.
Alana was around ten minutes into the flight back from a research trip to a remote lodge in Anjajavy, northern Madagascar, where she was studying several rare species of crabs.
Police chief Nomenjahary say they have pieced together what happened in the minutes before Alana died
He said: ‘The Cessna C168 aircraft was taking off from Anjajavy with three people aboard, including Ms Johnson, Alana and the pilot.
‘After 10 minutes of flight, Alana undid her seatbelt and unlocked the right door of the plane and tried to get out.
‘Ms Johnson fought for five minutes trying to hold her, but when she was exhausted and out of breath she let go.
‘Alana then intentionally fell from an aircraft at 1130 meters above sea level.
‘She dropped into a zone which is full of with carnivorous Fossa felines.’
Alana was travelling back from a research trip to a remote lodge in Anjajavy where she studied a rare species of crabs.
the British student was heading back to the UK just eight days into the trip due to last over a month.
She is said to have had a number of troubling conversations with her parents in Buckinghamshire.
Their most recent report claims that the family considered the situation an ’emergency’ and rented a small plane to take her from the north of the island to Madagascar’s Ivato Antananarivo international airport where she would have flown to Paris and then on to London.
They convinced Ruth Johnson, 51, to accompany her on the five-seat Cessna-type aircraft but Alana then fought her way off the plane and jumped minutes after take-off.
Teams are searching for her body but there are fears that it may not be found because she jumped into remote area of the Madagascan jungle filled with carnivorous wild animals.
Alana’s family say they ‘are heartbroken at the loss of our wonderful, beautiful daughter, who lit up every room she walked in to’.
Police are now investigating reports that she opened the plane’s door and jumped to her death
Alana’s family have asked for privacy following her death and paid tribute to the 19-year-old
Police have also interviewed management at the hotel, as well as Ruth and the pilot while also searching Alana’s luggage.
They have also read through her documents and messages.
Alana was in the country for a university research trip and one other passenger was in the aircraft with her, along with the pilot
The police chief added: ‘The victim is a student who has failed on research work and was asking for a lot of moral support.
‘She had personally financed her research and had suffered a paranoia attack five times.
‘The witnesses claimed that Alana had difficulty managing her private life and her research.
‘She was in regular contact by email with her parents to whom she receives moral support. She did not handle her stresses well.
‘On Ms Johnson’s departure day Alana’s parents agreed that Alana should interrupt her research fly with Ms Johnson.’
She was in the country for a university research trip to complement her studies and one other passenger was in the aircraft with her, along with the pilot.
The internship is understood to have been undertaken privately and was not a Cambridge University study trip.
Alana’s family have asked for privacy following her death.
Their statement said: ‘Our daughter Alana was a bright, independent young woman, who was loved and admired by all those that knew her.
‘She was always so kind and supportive to her family and friends, which resulted in her having a very special connection with a wide network of people from all walks of her life, who we know will miss her dearly.
Robinson College Cambridge, where 19-year-old university student Alana Cutland was studying Natural Sciences
The student had forced open the plane door in front of the horrified pilot and another passenger, police have said
Alice Cutland celebrating after she had passed her driving test in January 2017. Her family have paid tribute to her
‘Alana grasped every opportunity that was offered to her with enthusiasm and a sense of adventure, always seeking to extend her knowledge and experience in the best ways possible.
‘She was particularly excited to be embarking on the next stage of her education, on an internship in Madagascar complementing her studies in Natural Sciences.
‘Alana was also a talented dancer and embraced the more creative side of her talents with joy and commitment.
‘Her thirst for discovering more of the world always ensured she made the most of every second of her action-packed young life.
‘We are heartbroken at the loss of our wonderful, beautiful daughter, who lit up every room she walked in to, and made people smile just by being there.’
A friend told the Sun: ‘She was amazing, one of the most beautiful and pure girls I’ve ever known – inside and out.
‘The whole thing has been a nightmare for her family and friends back home in the UK.
‘We knew she was getting some sort of plane trip last week to study the seabed on a neighbouring island, but then contact went dead and we started to fear the worst.
‘Alana had so much going for her. She loved animals and nature and was over the moon to be going to Madagascar to pursue her passion.’
Her family said in a statement: ‘Our daughter Alana was a bright, independent young woman, who was loved and admired by all those that knew her’
Her family said that Alana was also a talented dancer and she was Vice President of the student-run society dance society Cutazz, of the University of Cambridge
Dr David Woodman, of Robinson College, Cambridge University, said in a statement: ‘Robinson College is deeply shocked by the news of Alana’s death. In her two years here, she made a huge contribution to many different aspects of life in the college’
As well as being a talented dancer, Alana was involved in the yoga and mindfulness society at university
Dr David Woodman, of Robinson College, Cambridge University, said in a statement: ‘Robinson College is deeply shocked by the news of Alana’s death. In her two years here, she made a huge contribution to many different aspects of life in the college.
‘She will be sorely missed by us all. The college extends its sincerest condolences to Alana’s family at this extremely difficult time.’
Alana was involved in the yoga and mindfulness society at the college, according to its website.
She was also a talented dancer and Vice President of the student-run dance society Cutazz, at Cambridge University.
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