Four foreign tourists die in Laos, methanol poisoning suspected

At least four foreign tourists have died in Vang Vieng, a Laos town popular with backpackers, government officials and media said Thursday (November 21), with suspected poisoning from adulterated alcohol containing methanol. The victims are two Danes, an Australian and an American, according to their respective governments, which do not specify the causes of death.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced in Parliament the death of a 19-year-old Australian woman, Bianca Jones, while another young woman of the same age, Holly Bowles, was “fighting for his life”. The latter was hospitalized in intensive care in Bangkok, her father, Shaun Bowles, told Australian television channel Nine News.

According to British and Australian media, a group of a dozen tourists fell ill after a night out in Vang Vieng on November 12. Several were hospitalized in neighboring Thailand.

Employed for the manufacture of antifreeze liquid

The two Australians, originally from Melbourne, started to feel unwell at the Nana Backpackers hostel in Vang Vieng, where they were staying, according to Australian media. They drank at the hostel bar before going out for the evening, the newspaper reported Sydney Morning Herald. They did not leave their room on November 13, as planned, and hostel staff rushed them to the hospital. On Thursday, the inn was unreachable, no longer accepting reservations on specialized websites, and its Instagram and Facebook pages were deactivated.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, for its part, that “two Danish citizens [étaie]nt died in Laos »without specifying their identities or the causes of death. According to ABC News, they are two young women in their twenties. The US State Department has also confirmed the “US citizen dies in Vang Vieng, Laos”specifying that he “was closely monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance”. He also did not provide details on the date or cause of death.

British media reported that a British woman was hospitalized in Bangkok after drinking alcohol in Vang Vieng. And the New Zealand embassy in Bangkok said it had been contacted by one of its nationals “who was not feeling well and could be the victim of methanol poisoning in Laos”.

Vang Vieng, in Vientiane province in northwestern Laos, is popular among young people who enjoy backpacking trips and adventure sports. The city, once notorious for the bad behavior of young tourists at jungle parties, has recently revived its reputation as an ecotourism destination.

In their travel advice, the authorities of several Western countries warn their nationals against the risks of methanol poisoning when consuming alcohol in Laos. Methanol is an alcohol used in the manufacture of antifreeze or windshield washer fluid, varnish or photocopier fluid. It can be added to other alcohols to increase their potency or reduce their price, but it can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

In August, six people died and around 20 were hospitalized in Thailand after drinking contraband alcohol containing methanol.