COCAINE-FILLED BALLOON BURSTS, KILLS PROFESSOR

DETROIT - A Wayne State University law professor described as a
brilliant scholar died Wednesday in Canada, where doctors surgically
removed a dozen cocaine-filled balloons from his body after one burst
during a trans-Atlantic flight.

Gennady M. Danilenko, 45, died in Newfoundland. He was on Northwest
Airlines Flight 47 from Amsterdam to Detroit on Sunday when he fell
ill with what initially appeared to be a heart attack.

The flight was diverted to Goose Bay, Newfoundland, where doctors
performed emergency surgery and discovered the drugs. The substance
was confirmed to be cocaine, Drug Enforcement Administration
spokeswoman Susan Feld said.

The death was ruled an accidental drug overdose, said Cpl. Trudy
McCabe of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. At least one of the
balloons appeared to have burst in his stomach. The body was to be
turned over to Danilenko's family soon, she said.

DEA agents searched Danilenko's home in Ann Arbor on Thursday but
found nothing significant, Feld said.

Staff and students at Wayne State were shocked by the death and the
drug-smuggling allegations.

"I guess there are things about everybody that you don't know," said
Josh Armkoff, enrolled in the professor's international law class this
term.

Danilenko had taught his scheduled classes last week, said Joan
Mahoney, dean of the law school.

According to Wayne State's Web site, Danilenko joined the faculty in
1997s.

He had also taught at the University of California at Berkeley and the
University of San Diego.