A 16-YEAR-OLD footballer who died in Cork is the first known Irish fatality from U-47700 – which has caused dozens of deaths across the US.
Michael Cornacchia was found dead in his home in Deerpark on the south side of Cork city on January 16.
It has now been found that the teenager died from a combination of U-47700 and ecstasy.
Michael was a talented footballer who played soccer with several local clubs in Cork and tried out for a number of professional clubs in England, including Everton.
Drug U-47700 is a synthetic opioid developed in the 1970s by American pharmaceutical company Upjohn to treat severe pain associated with cancer, injury or surgery.
The substance – commonly known as ‘U4’ – has reportedly caused dozens of deaths in the US after being sold as a white powder to individuals who believed it was cocaine.
Last November, the US Drug Enforcement Agency added U4 to their list of ‘Schedule One’ high-risk drugs, while it has already been banned in Florida, Ohio, Georgia and Oregon.
After Michael Cornacchia’s death, the HSE issued a warning to drug users about the drug and called on anyone who has the substance not to take it and dispose of it safely.
A neighbour of Mr Cornacchia's said the talented teen had trialled with Everton and has “everything going for him” when he died.
“He was a talented soccer player. He played with so many teams and got trials in England,” neighbour Jack O’Keeffe told he Irish Mirror.
“He was a beautiful lad. His dad is Italian so he has the Italian blood and look.
“He had one little brother and one little sister. And their poor Mam and Dad. We lose teens to drugs, it can’t keep happening.”
The effects of U-47700 are not fully researched but the drug is said to be eight times as powerful as morphine, and has been described as ‘stronger than heroin’.
Britain has banned all ‘new psychoactive drugs’, but several websites offer to ship U-47700 to the UK – where it is known as ‘Pink’ – accepting payments in Bitcoins.
