A Costa Rican man died early on Sunday 11 October 2026 after falling ill at the first night of EDC Colombia in Medellín, according to El Tiempo, El Espectador and Blu Radio. The festival, held at the Unidad Deportiva Atanasio Girardot, is the Colombian edition of the Electric Daisy Carnival, a brand created by the US company Insomniac.
Many Americans travel to Colombia for festivals and nightlife, so the EDC Medellín death matters to US readers planning trips. The official cause has not been confirmed, and Medicina Legal, the Colombian forensic institute, is investigating, according to El Tiempo.
El Tiempo reports that the man was a Costa Rican from Desamparados who worked as an interpreter and call-centre agent. We do not give his age, because the outlets report different figures.
Key Facts
—Who. Ismael Gerardo Méndez Huertas, a Costa Rican man. His age is not confirmed.
—What. He died after being taken ill during the first night of EDC Colombia. A possible overdose has been reported, but the official cause is not confirmed.
—Where. The Unidad Deportiva Atanasio Girardot in Medellín, then Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe.
—When. He fell ill on the night of Saturday 10 October 2026 and died in the early hours of Sunday 11 October.
—US link. EDC is a US-born festival brand from Insomniac, and Americans regularly travel to Colombia for events.
—Status. Medicina Legal is investigating. No toxicology result has been reported.
—Status date. As of 11 October 2026, 18:30 GMT
What We Know
According to Blu Radio, festival medical staff found the man unconscious and struggling to breathe in a bathroom of the sports complex. He was taken by ambulance to Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe.
Hospital staff told Blu Radio that he arrived with an apparent overdose case. About three hours of emergency care could not save him, according to the same report.
El Tiempo gives a timeline in local time. It says he was found at around 10:30 p.m. and admitted at 11:15 p.m. on 10 October, and that he died in the early hours of 11 October. Outlets differ on the exact time of death, so we do not state one.
According to El Tiempo, the hospital described him as critical, with status epilepticus, which is a prolonged seizure. It also reported findings suggesting possible intoxication and two cardiorespiratory arrests, with respiratory failure as the cause of death.
El Espectador writes that initial reports pointed to a clinical picture suggesting a possible overdose. It stresses that this is not confirmed as the official cause.
The same outlet says judicial authorities carried out a technical inspection of the body. Medicolegal procedures are under way to establish the circumstances, and the repatriation of the body to Costa Rica is being arranged.
This is the first edition of EDC in Colombia, produced by Insomniac with the promoter Páramo Presenta, according to El Espectador. It runs on 10 and 11 October, with about 50,000 attendees expected across five stages.
El Espectador also reports that the second day started at 3 p.m. as scheduled. El Tiempo says Páramo Presenta had not responded to requests for comment when it published.
What Is Not Known
The official cause of death has not been confirmed. No toxicology result has been reported, and the reports we cite name no official source for the cause.
We do not know what, if anything, the man took before he fell ill. For that reason we describe a possible overdose only as reported, and we name no substance.
No statement from the organisers was available at the time of writing. His age is also unclear, because the outlets give conflicting figures.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
Medellín draws many visitors from the United States, and big events such as EDC add to that flow. Our EDC Colombia 2026 guide explains the festival, and our guide to Medellín in October 2026 covers the wider calendar.
According to Blu Radio, festival medical staff were on site and reached the man in the sports complex. That shows a medical response existed, but the reports do not say whether the outcome could have been different.
Because the cause is unconfirmed, nobody should draw wider conclusions about the festival or the city from this single case. Travellers can check official government travel advisories before a trip.
We will report the official cause and any statement from the organisers once either is confirmed. For now, the family’s loss is the clearest fact in the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who died at EDC Colombia in Medellín?
A Costa Rican man named Ismael Gerardo Méndez Huertas died early on Sunday 11 October 2026 after falling ill at the festival’s first night. According to El Tiempo, he was from Desamparados and worked as an interpreter and call-centre agent.
What caused the death?
The official cause has not been confirmed. According to El Espectador, initial reports pointed to a clinical picture suggesting a possible overdose, while El Tiempo reports that Medicina Legal is investigating.
Where was he treated?
According to Blu Radio, festival medical staff found him in a bathroom of the sports complex and sent him by ambulance to Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe. El Tiempo reports he was admitted at 11:15 p.m. on 10 October and died in the early hours of 11 October.
Did EDC Colombia continue after the death?
According to El Espectador, the second day started at 3 p.m. as scheduled. The festival runs on 10 and 11 October at the Unidad Deportiva Atanasio Girardot, with about 50,000 attendees expected.
Sources
For more on the country, visit our Colombia hub. It collects our coverage of news, travel and events across Colombia.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief