Electric Zoo: Drug Deaths At NYC Festival

The final day of a New York City electronic music festival has been cancelled after the drug-related deaths of two young people.

The third day of the Electric Zoo festival was to feature high-profile acts including Avicii, David Guetta and Diplo.

French DJ David Guetta had been scheduled to perform at the event

But the city recommended that the performances be cancelled after Jeffrey Russ, 23, and Olivia Rotondo, 20, died.

Several other concert-goers were hospitalised.

The festival brings thousands of people to Randall's Island in the East River over Labor Day weekend.

"The Electric Zoo organisers have worked with city officials to reduce health risks at this event, but in view of these occurrences, the safest course is to cancel the remaining day," the city said.

The deaths appear to have been linked to drugs, specifically MDMA, or ecstasy.

A spokeswoman for the city medical examiner said further toxicology and tissue testing is needed to ascertain the cause of death.

The event's founders, Made Event, expressed condolences to the families of those who died on its website.

"Because there is nothing more important to us than our patrons, we have decided in consultation with the New York City Parks Department that there will be no show," it said.

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