British Tourist Dies After Trying To Drink All 21 Cocktails On Bar Menu In Jamaica

A leisurely family vacation took a dark turn when Timothy Southern, a 53-year-old British tourist, tragically lost his life in a daring attempt to consume all 21 cocktails listed on a Jamaican bar's menu. The incident, which occurred in May 2022, has left his family in grief and raising questions about the emergency services’ response.

The Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, a popular resort in Saint Ann's, Jamaica, was the setting for this fatal drinking challenge. According to reports, Mr. Southern had already been drinking brandy and beer throughout the morning when he came across two Canadian women undertaking a 21-cocktail challenge to celebrate a birthday. Inspired to join in, he ambitiously embarked on consuming every cocktail on the menu.

However, after downing 12 cocktails, Mr. Southern’s condition rapidly deteriorated. He retreated to his hotel room, where his family members found him severely ill.

Relatives recount the harrowing moments that followed. One of them told StaffordshireLive, “He was on his back choking. I put him in the recovery position and screamed for an ambulance… As soon as he was in the recovery position, he vomited… I noticed he was starting to lose temperature. I checked his pulse and couldn't find it.”

The family is devastated, and they criticize the emergency response, stating that the medical personnel on-site were ill-prepared and inefficient in administering life-saving procedures. They claim that vital time was lost as the responders were uncertain and ineffective in their attempts to resuscitate Mr. Southern.

A postmortem examination revealed that Mr. Southern died of "acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption," as reported by Metro.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, Mr. Southern’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to repatriate his body to the United Kingdom.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of responsible alcohol consumption, particularly when away from home, and also raises questions about the preparedness of emergency medical services in tourist hotspots.

Timothy Southern is survived by his children, sister, and extended family members who accompanied him on what was supposed to be a memorable vacation.