By Gavin Mackintosh-
A paranoid Cambridge university student fought off a fellow female passenger , forced open the door of a plane and leapt to her death while on a research trip on Madagascar, local police have revealed.
Alana Cutland crazily jumped from the Cessna light aircraft during a flight back from a remote lodge where she was studying a rare species of crabs.
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Investigators said the student suffered five paranoia attacks on the doomed research trip she funded with her own money.Ms Cutland was in her second year at the University of Cambridge studying Natural Sciences and was taking an internship abroad to complement her studies. She was struggling to cope with a demanding research after failing an aspect of it. The tragic student was crying for extra moral support, it has been revealed.
Alana resisted rescue from her own demons by fighting off fellow passenger, Brit tourist Ruth Johnson who had battled in vain in an attempt to save the suicidal student.
Cops said the tragic teenager managed to free herself from the “exhausted” grip of both the pilot and the fellow passenger high above the paradise Indian Ocean Island, plunging 360,000 into the wild Savannah. Her body in the remote Analalava region, but fear they will never find her due the remote location. Local police chief Sinola Nomenjahary told how they had recreated the horrifying flight after taking statements from Ms Johnson and the pilot.
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Tragic: Alana Cutland Image: Instagram alana_Cutland
PLUNGED TO HER DEATH
Images sent to The Sun show – in a recreation – how the passenger desperately clung to Alana’s leg before she let go through exhaustion around 15 minutes after take-off on July 25.
Mr 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.
“Alana then intentionally fell from an aircraft at 1130 meters above sea level.
“She dropped into a zone which is full of with carnivorous Fossa felines.”
TRIBUTE
Alana was due to stay on the research trip for six weeks, but cut it short just eight days into her trip after speaking to her parents Alison and Neil Cutland.
In a statement released by the Foreign and Commonwealth officer, her parents paid tribute to their daughter. 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.
The student had visited a remote part of northern Madagascar before her death. The student had visited a remote part of northern Madagascar before her death
“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.”
Alana had been working on an animal biology project studying crabs on the shoreline and was hosted by the Anjajavy Lodge.
FAILED
Police have interviewed management at the hotel, Ms Johnson and the pilot and searched Alana’s luggages. They have also read several messages she sent.
He added: “The victim is a student who has failed on research work and was asking for a lot of moral support.
“She had personally finances her research and had suffered a paranoia attack five times.The 19-year-old was holidaying in southern Africa when she tragically passed away
“The witnesses claimed that Alana had difficulty managing her private life and her research.
“She was in regular contact by email with her parents to whom she receives moral support. She did not handle her stresses well.
“On Ms Johnson’s departure day Alana’s parents agreed that Alana should interrupted her research fly with Ms Johnson.” Friends described her as most beautiful and purest in and out.
One said: “She was amazing, one of the most beautiful and pure girls I’ve ever known – inside and out.
“The whole thing has been a nightmare for her family and friends back home in the UK.
“We knew she was getting some sort of plane trip last week to study the seabed on a neighbouring island, but then contact went dead and we started to fear the worst.
“Alana had so much going for her. She loved animals and nature and was over the moon to be going to Madagascar to pursue her passion.
“She was also the vice-president of a dance society at Cambridge. There was no end to her talents and we can’t think why she would have done this.”
Image: Facebook
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