Severe reaction to malaria drugs may have led to Cambridge student's fatal leap

19-year-old Alana Cutland died after falling from a light aircraft over Madagascar. Photo / Supplied

Police in Madagascar are today probing the theory that a Cambridge student who jumped to her death from a plane at 5000ft may have suffered a severe reaction to anti-malaria drugs.

Alana Cutland, 19, from Milton Keynes, broke open the plane's door and threw herself out after fighting off the pilot and a fellow British passenger who had clung on to her legs above the island's vast jungle, reports the Daily Mail.

Police have said the Biological Natural Sciences student had suffered a flurry of five "paranoia" attacks and was "stressed" before her death on the morning of Thursday July 25.

Her grieving parents Alison and Neil have said their "bright" and "enthusiastic" daughter was "particularly excited" to carry out research in the Indian Ocean's rare crab population having raised the money to fund her trip to Madagascar herself.

But eight days after arriving she threw herself from a Cessna reportedly rented by Mr and Mrs Cutland who were bringing her back to the UK after a series of fraught phone calls and desperate email exchanges with their eldest child.

Police on the east African island say they do not yet know why she opened the plane's door and jumped at 5,000ft - but are probing whether she had a reaction to anti-malaria drugs.

In very rare cases some of these medicines such as Larium and Malarone can cause paranoia, depression, hallucinations and even suicidal thoughts.

Alana's companion Ruth Johnson, 51, and the pilot had clung on to her legs for several minutes - but she broke free from their 'exhausted' grip and jumped to her death.

The second-year Biological Natural Sciences student was on a six-week study trip to analyse the Indian Ocean seabed and its rare endangered crabs.

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. Photo / Supplied

Local police chief Sinola Nomenjahary said: "The victim is a student asking for a lot of moral support. She 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 with her parents to whom she receives moral support. She did not handle her stresses well."

Police have released an extraordinary image of officers recreating the student's final moments based on the statements of the two other people on board.

Teams are searching for her body but there are fears that it may not be found because she jumped into a remote area of the Madagascan jungle filled with carnivorous wild animals including the panther-like fossa.

Alana 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. But five minutes after take-off she jumped.

Alana and her parents had several intense and agitated phone calls in the days and hours leading up to her death and she was suffering from 'stress' and 'paranoia', reports on the island have claimed.

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.

Alana broke open the door and fought with Johnson and the pilot as they tried to drag her back into the cabin, Madagascar police chief Nomenjahary has said.

Nomenjahary said the student had suffered five 'paranoia attacks' while on the 'failed' research trip to see rare Madagascan crustaceans.

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 metres (5,000ft) above sea level.

She dropped into a zone which is full of with carnivorous Fossa felines."

Local authorities released the image showing a recreation of Ruth Johnson and the pilot's attempts to save Cutland. Photo / Supplied

Alana was travelling back from a research trip to a remote lodge in Anjajavy where she studied a rare species of crab.

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 a 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 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.

He said: "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.

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."