A 17-year-old girl and a 24-year-old father-of-one have died after attending the Emerge music festival at Boucher Playing Fields in Belfast. Mia Keevan, from Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, became unwell at the event on Sunday and later died in hospital. Trae Keenan died after returning to his Airbnb, believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest following a panic attack.
A woman in her 30s and a teenage boy were also taken to hospital after falling ill. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made seven arrests over the weekend in connection with the festival. Superintendent Allister Hagan expressed condolences to the families and confirmed an investigation is ongoing.
Family friend Sarah Roche described Mia as a 'fun and much-loved girl' who 'lit up every room she walked into.' A fundraiser has been organised to support Mia's family with unexpected costs. The PSNI stated that a post-mortem examination will be conducted for Trae Keenan, and enquiries are continuing.
