Latest news with #SanPedro
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Tourist dies after drinking trance-inducing tea on spiritual rainforest retreat
Aaron Wayne Castranova, 41, reportedly from Alabama, in the US, suffered "multi-organ failure" after having a hallucinogenic drink at a spiritual retreat in the Amazon A tourist has died after drinking a trance-inducing herbal tea while staying at a spiritual retreat deep in the Amazon rainforest. Aaron Wayne Castranova, 41, suffered a severe reaction after partaking in the hallucinogenic drink in Loreto, part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest that lies close to the border with Brazil. The regional prosecutor's forensic pathologist, Narciso Lopez, said that Mr Castranova, who is believed to be from Alabama, in the United States, suffered catastrophic "multi-organ failure" that led to his death having drunk the tea, which is known as ayahuasca. The psychoactive brew is traditionally used by Indigenous cultures in the Amazon and Orinoco basins for ceremonies and healing. Mr Castranova was at a spiritual session when he collapsed in the La Casa de Guillermo ICONA hostel, which is in the indigenous Santa Maria de Ojeda community. This location is well known for its 'spiritual tourism' where visitors take part in psychedelic rituals under the supervision of a shaman. It is reported by the hostel's management that Mr Castranova had not informed them that he was taking antibiotics which they alleged caused the fatal reaction. Mr Lopez said that ayahuesca can cause 'irreversible damage' as well as death. It is traditionally used by indigenous groups in spiritual and healing ceremonies, reported The drink is made from the bark of a vine and local vegetation that contains the hallucinogenic N-N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Local tourism where visitors seek to take part in the spiritual ceremonies has spiked in recent years, with some seeking it as a way to improve their mental health. There is a warning on the UK government's travel advice for Peru about drinks which contain hallucinogenic drugs and are offered for 'spiritual cleansing'. It also says that there have been reports of sex attacks during ceremonies. It states: 'Shamans and other people offer 'spiritual cleansing' (Ayahuasca or San Pedro) to tourists in the Amazon area, northern Peru and Cusco. This often involves drinking a brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic drug that is a Class A substance in the UK. "This brew is not regulated and its effect on existing medical conditions is not well understood. People have become seriously ill and, in some cases, died after taking part. Spiritual cleansing retreats are usually far from populated areas, making it difficult to get medical attention. There have also been reports of sexual assault during these ceremonies.' It comes after last year British woman Maureen Rainford, 54, collapsed and died after drinking ayahuasca. The mum-of-three, from Romford, east London, had booked the £800 retreat at the Ayahuasca and San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat in the Bolivian Amazon last October, her family said. Maureen's daughter Rochel, 32, said she was told by a resort official that her mum had suffered a "medical emergency" during the retreat. She had complained about feeling unwell after drinking the tea, with her heart and breathing rate plummeting. Sadly, despite CPR efforts, Maureen died one hour later - before a doctor arrived. Rochel said: "There should be a trained medic on standby when hallucinogenic drugs are being handed out in a remote area. Eric [a worker at the retreat] tried to insist that she must be cremated in Bolivia as her body would decompose, but I did not want any cover-up." Rochel reportedly said that her mum's body was returned after she contacted the British consulate in Bolivia. She revealed that a post-mortem confirmed that her mum suffered a fatal heart attack.
Zawya
16-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa Global Logistics invests $67mln in Ivory Coast logistics expansion
Africa Global Logistics, operator of Ivory Coast's main port, has announced plans to invest over €60m (US$67m) in inland logistics over the next five years. The move aims to strengthen the country's position as a key transport hub and trade gateway for landlocked West African nations. Boats are seen at a quay of the port of Abidjan, Ivory coast, December 03, 2021. Picture taken December 03, 2021. REUTERS/Luc Gnago/File Photo The company will establish new operational hubs across the Ivory Coast and develop dry warehouses equipped with cooling facilities, regional director Asta-Rosa Cisse confirmed. Alongside managing Abidjan's main port — the primary export point for the world's top cocoa and cashew producer — Africa Global Logistics handles shipments to and from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, and trades in a range of other commodities including cotton, rubber, bananas, mangoes and palm oil. "Abidjan suffers from centralisation, with everything converging on the port," Cisse said. The company plans to decentralise operations by establishing hubs in Ferkessedougou in northern Ivory Coast, Bouake in the centre and San Pedro in the southwest, aiming to improve speed and efficiency, she said. Port traffic expected to surge by 50% Import and export traffic at Abidjan's main port is expected to rise by 50% this year to about 1.8 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), from 1.2 million TEUs last year, said Cisse. "Today, our traffic is on the rise, in line with the economy of the region. The region's dynamism is boosting both export and import traffic," she said. The second container terminal at Abidjan's main port, completed in late 2022, has increased traffic by accommodating large vessels from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, which previously had to offload cargo in South Africa before transferring goods to smaller vessels bound for West Africa. The expansion of the middle class, with its increased consumption of European goods, alongside a rise in infrastructure construction attracting numerous products, has contributed to the surge in traffic at Abidjan, Cisse added. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CBS News
09-05-2025
- CBS News
Police pursuit ends in violent San Pedro multi-car collision
A Los Angeles Police Department pursuit ended in San Pedro with a multi-vehicle crash and two of six people involved were taken to hospitals. Four people were treated at the scene, and released, according to the LAPD. The collision happened at Pacific Avenue and 19th Street on Friday afternoon. As SkyCal flew over, at least three vehicles were damaged, and strewn around the intersection. An SUV had crashed on top of a parked car and appeared to be nearly teetering on its side. Circumstances involving the pursuit suspect and the suspect vehicle are not known yet. This is a developing story. Several vehicles were involved in a collision at the end of a police pursuit in San Pedro. KCAL News
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Prep talk: San Pedro softball team is Marine League champion
For the first time since 2021, San Pedro has toppled defending City Section champion Carson to become the Marine League softball champion. The Pirates own two wins over Carson and clinched the league title on Thursday with a 10-0 victory over Gardena. Advertisement Brianna Rodela leads the team with 30 hits. Sophomore pitcher Caroline Baker is 11-0. West Valley League champion Granada Hills remains the favorite with a 22-3 record. … Former Mission Viejo quarterback Kale Murphy transferred to Servite in January and is the likely starter this fall. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Prep talk: San Pedro softball team is Marine League champion
For the first time since 2021, San Pedro has toppled defending City Section champion Carson to become the Marine League softball champion. The Pirates own two wins over Carson and clinched the league title on Thursday with a 10-0 victory over Gardena. Brianna Rodela leads the team with 30 hits. Sophomore pitcher Caroline Baker is 11-0. West Valley League champion Granada Hills remains the favorite with a 22-3 record. … Former Mission Viejo quarterback Kale Murphy transferred to Servite in January and is the likely starter this fall. This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email
