Teenage girl dies after falling ill at Emerge electronic festival in Belfast

A teenage girl has died in hospital after collapsing at Northern Ireland’s biggest electronic dance music festival.

A police spokesperson said officers attended a report of the sudden death of a girl, aged in her late teens, on Sunday.

She died in hospital after becoming unwell at the Emerge festival in Boucher Playing Fields in south Belfast.

Former Lord Mayor of Belfast Micky Murray announced that he is requesting ‘an urgent meeting’ with festival bosses following the death.

‘I have some very serious concerns about this,’ he added.

‘This is utterly heartbreaking news, and my sincere condolences are with the loved ones of the young individual who has tragically lost their life in these circumstances.

‘I also wish for a full and speedy recovery for the other individuals who have been taken to the hospital and are reported to have attended the festival as well.

‘Festivals are meant to be safe spaces for people to celebrate their love of music and express themselves, no one expects such a tragic incident to occur in this environment.’