A British tourist has died in Spain after taking illicit substances before boarding a flight, an inquest has found. Paul William Jones, 36, from Wattstown, Rhondda, Wales, was rushed to hospital shortly after landing in Alicante.
Pontypridd Coroners' Court heard that Mr Jones had a history of drug use and likely took an overdose on February 22, 2025, prior to his flight. Upon arrival in Spain, he became increasingly unresponsive and his condition deteriorated.
He died at Marina Baixa Hospital in Alicante on February 27. A post-mortem examination revealed hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, a serious brain injury caused by reduced oxygen to the brain, which the coroner attributed to drug use.
Coroner Rachel Knight recorded a conclusion of drug-related death, noting there was no evidence that Mr Jones intended to die. The medical causes were given as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and drug overdose.
