Teacher dies after swallowing bag of cocaine in first-class lounge

Victoria Buchanan died after swallowing a bag of cocaine. Photo / Facebook

A UK teacher and mother-of-three has died of an overdose after swallowing a bag of cocaine at Manchester Airport.

Victoria Buchanan, 42, was waiting to fly home to Dubai in March at a airport lounge, sipping champagne, when she ingested a resealable bag of cocaine, Manchester Evening News reports.

It is believed she forgot she had $115 worth of the drug in her possession, therefore she decided to swallow it.

Moments later, the woman collapsed, suffered a seizure and went into cardiac arrest when the bag opened in her stomach.

Buchanan was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where she later died, according to officials.

The teacher acquired the cocaine from her husband Mark, who is a shipping company boss, while on holiday in the UK.

Dr Jon Hopper of Wythenshawe Hospital told the Manchester Evening News that at first onlookers thought she was intoxicated but then she started having a fit.

He said an off-duty nurse then administrated an epipen after speaking to the woman's husband on the phone and learning she had a palm oil allergy.

But after being in cardiac attest for an hour in hospital, she reached critical condition and her family were informed that this was a tragic and irretrievable situation, Hopper explained.

An investigation into her overdose concluded with a court hearing determining the cause was "death by misadventure".

"We were aware she would take small amounts of cocaine occasionally, and it was something we did together," her husband, Mark Buchanan, told the court. "I had left the UK a few days before, not a lot was left, not that that matters now."

According to The Mirror, assistant coroner Andrew Bridge said he was baffled why Buchanan took such a risk.

"Why she took such a risk will never be known but I'm satisfied it was done of her own volition and there was no coercion or threat, there was no criminal activity and no charges have been brought.

"I have no understanding of why Victoria would wish to have smuggled cocaine or why she would take the risks of doing so. My conclusion of how she came by her death is one of misadventure.

"I give you my sympathies for the sad loss of your wife and your daughter - my question is what on Earth was she thinking?"