A relative of a Cambridge University student who jumped out of a plane in Madagascar said her death was out of character and claims that "something must have happened".
Alana Cutland, 19, fell from a Cessna light aircraft that had picked her up from a remote lodge in Madagascar, where she was studying crabs as part of her natural science degree.
The Cambridge University student opened the plane's door and jumped out minutes later after the pilot and British tourist Ruth Johnson both became "exhausted" and lost their grip in their bid to stop her, according to police.
Police in the country are still trying to recover her body but fear that it may never be found after fell into the remote Madagascar savannah.
Mystery surrounds the exact cause of the teenager's death amid speculation that she was suffering from stress and "paranoia" related to her studies.
Police are also probing whether she had a sever reaction to anti-malarial drugs which sometimes cause anxiety, panic attacks and hallucinations in some people.
Her uncle, Lester Riley, 68, from Nottingham, told the Sun: “There was nothing wrong with her before she went out [to Madagscar]. She was not that kind of person [to suffer from mental health].
"She was very stable. It was totally out of character. She was a really lovely girl with her whole life ahead of her. She must have fallen ill out there.
“They think something must have happened to her out there (she had been out eight days)."
He also told the MailOnline that she had been mumbling during a phone call with her mum just six days into her trip.
Her parents Alison and Neil had agreed with Alana that she should come home and told her to seek medial attention while in Madagascar.
"She had taken ill after being there for a few days and when she spoke to her mother on the phone two days before the accident she was mumbling and sounded pretty incoherent.
"My sister was frantic and called the Embassy for help. They advised she should see a doctor in the country and then come back to England. And Alana agreed to that.
"She was in total agreement. There was no friction or tense conversation."
Police have released a photo of a recreation of what they claim were her final moments inside the plane. It depicts a pilot and passenger grasping hold of a second passenger's leg as the person hangs out of the plane's open door.
The tragic incident happened 15 minutes after the plane took off from the remote Analalava region in northern Madagascar on July 25.
The pilot grabbed onto Alana's leg and manoeuvred the plane from side to side in a desperate bid to prevent her from flinging herself from the tiny propeller aircraft.
They were the only three people on board.
Local police chief Sinola Nomenjahary 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."
Mr Nomenjahary added that they read through her documents and she may have been suffering from stress or mental health issues related to her studies.
He added that police were working under the assumption that it was an "intentional fall" and said that they are working with British authorities to establish the exact circumstances surrounding her death.
He said the student may have landed in an area populated by wild fossas, carnivorous cat-like animals.
Alana was travelling home to the UK after recent conversations with her parents raised concerns, Midi Madagasikara reported.
The fellow Brit passenger - a 51-year-old woman - had agreed to accompany her, and they were on their way to Ivato International Airport, the report added.
Police said Alana was in regular contact with her parents and was making her way home via the island's main airport.
Alana's family paid tribute to the "talented" second-year Natural Science student, who was in Madagascar on an internship.
In a statement released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, they 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 complimenting 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."
