The cause of death has been determined for a 22-year-old man who died aboard a Southwest Airlines flight in August.
Rain McMillen Walmsley died from the “combined effects of 7-Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. His death was classified as accidental.
Both 7-Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine are compounds found in kratom, a plant-based supplement that has faced increasing scrutiny amid reports of overdoses.
Kratom is derived from a plant native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves are commonly dried and consumed for either stimulant or sedative effects, depending on the amount taken. In smaller doses, kratom can produce effects similar to caffeine.
However, 7-Hydroxymitragynine, also known as 7-OH, can have opioid-like effects when its concentration is artificially enhanced. Kratom products are widely available, but the substance remains legal and largely unregulated. Concerns about its potential for abuse have grown in recent months.
Walmsley was traveling aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 958 on Aug. 7. The plane was en route from Dallas to Los Angeles when he suffered a medical emergency and became unresponsive.
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Crew members and passengers tried to save him, performing CPR several times as the aircraft continued toward Southern California.
Emergency responders were standing by when the flight landed at Los Angeles International Airport, but they were unable to revive him.
Paramedics pronounced Walmsley dead at the scene after resuscitation efforts failed.
Southwest Airlines had previously confirmed that a “medical incident involving a customer” occurred aboard Flight 958, but the airline did not release further information about the passenger.
The Irvine City Council recently adopted tighter rules for the sale and distribution of synthetic kratom products, citing concerns about the substance’s potential adverse effects. The regulations limit sales to customers age 21 and older and prohibit products containing more than 2% 7-OH.
Concern over kratom has also intensified in Mississippi, where two college students were found dead in separate incidents in September with kratom present at the scenes. The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics squad said it had “no confirmed information indicating that kratom or any other substance was a contributing factor in either death.”