THE family of a young Australian woman who died after partying on a Contiki tour in Rome yesterday said it was “out of character” for her to have mixed alcohol and drugs.
Contiki yesterday said it was “extremely saddened” to confirm that Madelaine Crawley, 23, died on Thursday in Rome, where she had been staying at the Seven Hills Village holiday park.
The receptionist at Seven Hills, who declined to give her name, yesterday said the young Australian had collapsed after mixing copious quantities of alcohol with anti-anxiety tablets at a disco.
“She drank too much and felt sick, and during the night she fainted in her bathroom and was found in the morning,” the receptionist said.
“Her friend said she had mixed a lot of spirits, like tequila. We found the antidepressants — she wasn’t depressed, but her friend said she was scared of flying and wanted to sleep on the plane.”
Rome police have ordered an autopsy, but Italian media reports said the Tweed Heads woman died of a heart attack soon after being taken to hospital.
Another Australian tourist on the tour, a 29-year-old woman from NSW, also had to be taken to the hospital emergency ward and was recovering yesterday after having had her stomach pumped.
Ms Crawley’s uncle, Bruce Melville, yesterday disputed the Italian news reports, saying it was out of character for his niece to get so drunk.
“That sort of thing is just totally out of character,” he told Nine Network. He described her as “a very lovable girl, just starting to bloom in life”.
Mr Melville said the family was trying to have her body brought back to Australia as soon as possible for an autopsy.
Contiki said the tour group had continued to Venice.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday said officials from the Australian embassy in Rome were working closely with Contiki and Roman authorities.
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