A 28-year-old British tourist was among two dozen holidaymakers who were rushed to a hospital in southeast Asia after allegedly being served poisonous drinks. Tragically, two Danish women have since been confirmed as dead following the horrific poisoning incident.
Simone White, an associate lawyer from Orpington, Kent, was left feeling seriously unwell after ingesting what are believed to be methanol-laced drinks while holidaying in Laos. The contaminant is used to illegally cut alcoholic drinks and the NHS states that as little as 4ml of Methanol can induce visual hallucinations and blindness.
Her friend Bethany Clarke, also from Orpington, was hospitalised alongside Simone following the incident and is urging all holidaymakers to “please avoid all local spirits,” after the deadly poisoning incident.
She shared: “Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”
It is not yet known where these methanol-laced drinks were served to the sick holidaymakers, many of whom are believed to have been staying at Nana Backpacker Hostel in the popular resort town of Vang Vieng. However, the owner of the hostel has denied that poisonous drinks were served at his bar.
While over 100 holidaymakers were plied with free shots of “Laos Tiger” vodka at the hostel, as per the Sun, management have denied that the alcohol was tampered with. Owner Duong Duc Toan said: “Right now the police [are telling] every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng.
“The police in Vang Vieng and [the capital] Vientiane already came to the hostel to check, the shop [where] we buy the vodka, check the shop [where] we buy the whisky.
“We don’t do anything wrong, for sure. I really take care of all of the customers [who] stay with our hotel and our hostel.”
However, Bethany Clarke has taken to backpacking groups on Facebook to warn travellers of her and Simone’s experience with cheap local drinks. Detailing the shocking effect of methanol on her system as she became “very fatigued and then fainted, then just felt nauseous and then my liver started to shut down.”
She added: “I got to the private hospital in time but underwent many infusions and tablets and days of recovery.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are providing consular assistance to British nationals and their families and are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Laos.”
Meanwhile, two Australian victims of the methanol poisoning remain in a Thai hospital. Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were staying at the same hostel as the two Brits poisoned.
As the teens fight for their lives in hospital, the Jones family have flown out to be by her bedside. They told reporters: “They were filled with joy and had such incredible adventures ahead of them, travelling through Asia. We are here by Bianca’s bedside praying for her.”