Decibel Outdoor festival fatalities: one due to medical causes, second still unclear

The Decibel Outdoor festival, which took place in Hilvarenbeek in Noord-Brabant last weekend, had two fatalities. The police reported on Tuesday that the death of the 19-year-old German man last Saturday was not drug-related. The cause of death of the 23-year-old man from Oudehaske, Friesland, who also died during the festival, is not yet known.

On Saturday, a 19-year-old man was found dead in a tent at the Beekse Bergen camping area where the festival takes place. Although efforts were made to resuscitate him, they were unsuccessful. The police concluded after an emergency investigation together with the prosecution that no drugs were involved, and that he died of medical causes.

On Monday, another dead body was discovered in a canal near Biest-Houtakker near the Decibel Outdoor festival, according to a police report. The victim was a 23-year-old man from Oudehaske, Friesland. He went missing during the night from Sunday to Monday, shortly after the festival ended. Both police and festival security initiated a search, and a police helicopter was also utilized. His body was found on Monday afternoon in a canal near Biest-Houtakker. The cause of his death is not yet known.

Previously, the Decibel Outdoor organizers expressed great sadness regarding the two fatalities. The organization of the hardstyle festival called it "terrible" that two attendees died. It is still "far too early" to think about possible measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, according to a spokesperson. "The causes are still being investigated," he explained. "Our main concern now is to pay attention to the relatives and those directly involved."