Australian teens among six tourists dead as countries warn of suspected methanol poisonings in Laos

By Helen Regan, Isaac Yee and Eve Brennan, CNN

(CNN) — An Australian teenager has become the sixth foreign tourist to die in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos, as a growing list of countries warned of the potentially fatal consequences of drinking tainted alcohol in the Southeast Asian country.

A British woman, another Australian teenager, an American and two Danes have also died in recent days following a spate of suspected poisonings in the popular backpacker destination of Vang Vieng, according to authorities.

Holly Bowles, 19, had been on life support in critical condition for several days in neighboring Thailand after being evacuated from Laos following a night out, according to CNN affiliate Seven News. Her friend, Bianca Jones, also 19, died on Thursday.

“It is with broken hearts and we are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace,” Bowles’ family said in a statement late on Friday, Seven News reported.

“We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly bought so much joy and happiness to so many people.”

The family said, “Holly was living her best life traveling through South East Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences.”

Britain’s Foreign Office told CNN on Thursday that a British woman had died in Laos. She was later named as lawyer Simone White, 28. Her law firm, Squire Patton Boggs, paid tribute to White on Friday, saying she had a “bright future ahead of her.”

According to Britain’s PA Media news agency, White’s parents said in a statement that they were “devastated by the loss of our beautiful, kind and loving daughter.” They added that their “hearts go out” to the other families “affected by this terrible tragedy.”

The US State Department confirmed to CNN on Thursday that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng. It did not give a reason for the person’s death but said the US was “closely monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.” And Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously said two Danish nationals had died in Laos but gave no further details.

The cause of death for at least three of the foreign tourists is believed to be linked to tainted alcohol, the country’s state media said Friday in their first report on the mass poisonings.

On Saturday, the Laos government said investigations were underway to find out the cause of the deaths and vowed to “bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The government “is profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vang Vieng District … and expresses its sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased,” it said in a short statement, adding that it values the safety of tourists.

Laos, an opaque communist state, had remained silent on the deaths in recent days even as multiple foreign governments issued warnings to be cautious of tainted alcohol and reports of deaths and poisonings mounted.

On Friday, the official Lao News Agency (KPL) confirmed two Danish nationals, both female, and one American national, died in Vang Vieng on November 13.

“The suspected cause of the death is believed to be the consumption of tainted alcoholic beverages,” KPL said. “Officials are in the process of collecting detailed information, evidence, and witness testimonies and are expected to release an official statement soon.”

The statement did not say if any other foreign nationals were sick.

On Friday, police also detained the manager and owner of a hostel where the backpackers were staying, the Associated Press reported, citing an officer at Vang Vieng’s Tourism Police office and hostel staff. No charges have been filed, AP reported.

Backpacking trip turns to nightmare

The Australian teens, both from Melbourne, were enjoying a backpacking trip when they became ill after a night out in Vang Vieng.

The picturesque rural town in northern Laos has long been a popular backpacking spot. For many years, it was renowned for being a major party destination, known for excessive drinking, the easy availability of drugs and river tubing linked to a string of fatalities.

In 2012, the government shuttered several bars and activities, reinventing the town as an eco-paradise and adventure travel hub, though its party reputation remains.

The women were staying at a hostel and reportedly had been drinking there and at a nearby bar on November 11, Nine News reported. According to the Associated Press, the women had joined other guests for free shots of alcohol offered by the hostel before going out for the night.

After becoming ill, the two friends didn’t leave their room for 24 hours and failed to check out as scheduled, according to Nine News. They were taken to a hospital in Laos before being transferred to Thailand, where they were treated in two separate hospitals, AP reported.

A statement from Jones’ family before her death said, “We want to ensure no other family is forced to endure the anguish we are going through,” according to Nine News. “We hope the authorities can get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible.”

It is believed the women drank alcohol tainted with methanol, though the source of the drinks is unclear.

Methanol can make people feel inebriated and has been used in the manufacture of counterfeit replicas of well-known alcohol brands or illegal local spirits, like vodka, the British Foreign Office warned.

Poisoning from methanol can cause nausea, vomiting and heart or respiratory failure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The clear liquid is typically used in cleaning fluids but sometimes illegally added to alcoholic drinks as a cheap way to increase their volume.

Laos, one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, has been hit hard by skyrocketing inflation in recent years. Tourism is a key source of revenue for the country’s struggling economy.

Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealand national who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in Vang Vieng, told AP that a lot of his customers were very worried about the incident.

“I think it’s never happened before, so it is hopefully just a one-off incident,” said Farmiloe, who has lived in the town for 20 years. “It’s very sad all around. I’m sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it’s happened.”

Countries warn their citizens

It is believed that several other foreign tourists have been affected by tainted drinks.

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to one of its nationals who reported feeling unwell “and may be a victim of methanol poisoning in Laos.”

“Travelers are advised to be cautious about consuming alcoholic beverages, particularly cocktails and drinks made with spirits that may have been adulterated with harmful substances,” it said.

On Thursday, the US joined New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada in warning its citizens to be cautious while drinking in the Southeast Asian country.

“The United States Embassy is aware of a number of cases of suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks,” the US Embassy in Laos said in a health alert.

The alert advised US citizens to “purchase alcoholic beverages and drinks from licensed liquor stores, bars, and hotels” and “avoid homemade alcoholic drinks.”

“Check liquor bottles for signs of tampering or counterfeiting, such as labels with poor print quality or incorrect spelling,” it added.

What is methanol and why is it deadly?

Methanol is a form of alcohol commonly used in cleaning and industrial products like paint thinners, antifreeze, fuel, dyes and inks.

Like the ethanol in alcoholic drinks, methanol is a clear, colorless substance – but it is toxic for humans and drinking as little as 30 milliliters (1 ounce) can be lethal.

If not treated, fatality rates are reported to be 20% to 40%, depending on the concentration of the methanol and the amount ingested, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders, which tracks cases of methanol poisoning globally.

It can take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear, which can range from dizziness, nausea and vomiting to blindless, organ failure, and brain damage. Rapid treatment can reduce some of the effects of methanol poisoning.

Outbreaks of methanol poisoning occur when the chemical is added to alcoholic drinks, either inadvertently through traditional brewing methods or deliberately – usually in the pursuit of profit.

Thousands of people suffer from methanol poisoning every year, with most cases reported in Asia from people drinking bootlegged liquor or homemade alcohol. Many Southeast Asian nations have low safety standards, patchy regulatory enforcement and high levels of police corruption.

In 2019, more than 150 were killed and 200 others hospitalized after drinking unregulated moonshine, known locally as “country-made liquor,” in India’s northeast.

Later that year, at least 11 people died and hundreds more were treated for suspected methanol poisoning after drinking locally made coconut wine in the Philippines.

There are also ongoing awareness campaigns warning tourists traveling in the region to watch out for the signs of methanol poisoning, after reports of deaths and illnesses in recent years linked to bars in Indonesia’s tourist hot spots of Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Sophie Tanno contributed to this report.