A British lawyer has died after seemingly being poisoned by a drink laced with methanol during a holiday in Laos.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, has become the fifth tourist to die in a suspected mass drink-spiking case.
Ms White became ill last week and is suspected to have been spiked at a bar in Vang Vient.
This comes after an Australian teenager, two Danish women in their twenties, and an American man died in the same place.
A Brit is among the seven others who have been taken to hospital.
Most of the victims of the alleged spiking case were staying at the Nana Backpacker hostel.
Many of them became ill after a night out drinking on November 12.
It is believed that the drinks were laced with methanol, a cheaper alternative to ethanol which can cause severe poisoning and even death.
Ms White was an associate lawyer at a US law firm based in London.
Her friend, Bethany Clarke, posted a warning to other travellers on social media: “Urgent – please avoid all local spirits.
“Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars… Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”
Bianca Jones, 19 from Melbourne, Australia, died in hospital on Thuraday.
Her friend, Holly Bowles, also 19, is in a serious condition in hospital.
Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, said: “This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” said Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister. “We also take this moment to say that we’re thinking of Bianca’s friend Holly Bowles, who is fighting for her life.”
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