A second Australian teenager who became seriously ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos has died in a hospital in Bangkok, her family said on Friday, bringing the death toll from mass poisoning by foreign tourists to six.
Holly Bowles, 19, was in critical condition and on life support after being poisoned in Laos more than a week ago.
“We are very sad to say that our beautiful girl, Holly, is now at peace,” her family said in a statement sent to Australian Network 10 and other Australian media. “We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people.”
An officer at the Vang Vieng Tourism Police Office, who declined to be named, told The Associated Press on Friday that “a number of people” have been arrested in the case but no charges have yet been filed. Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which was still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed that the manager and owner were among those arrested for questioning.
A couple of foreign tourists relax near the pool at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, November 22, 2024.
AP Photos/Anupam Nath
Tourist police offices are common in Southeast Asia and are set up specifically to assist with incidents involving tourists and other foreigners.
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The US State Department on Friday issued a health advisory for citizens traveling to Laos, warning of “suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through consumption of alcoholic beverages containing methanol,” following similar alerts from other countries whose citizens were involved.
The Australian Prime Minister announced on Thursday that citizen Bianca Jones (19 years old) died in a Thai hospital where she was evacuated to receive emergency treatment, and that her friend – Bowles – is still in the hospital “fighting for her life.” The British Foreign Office said that a 28-year-old British woman, Simone White, also died of methanol poisoning in Laos.
An American and two Danish tourists also died, although details about the causes of death were not revealed.
The New Zealand Foreign Ministry said one of its citizens had fallen ill in Laos and was a possible victim of methanol poisoning.
The empty bar at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, November 22, 2024.
AP Photos/Anupam Nath
Laos is a one-party communist state with no organized opposition, and the government tightly censors information. In this case, officials have released almost no details.
The State Department declined to comment, and the small hospital in Vang Vieng, where some victims were believed to have been treated, initially referred all questions to the city health office inside the hospital. Town health officials declined to comment, saying they lacked proper permission.
Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks in disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but it can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a by-product of poorly distilled home-made liquor, and may have unwittingly found its way into bar drinks.
Landlocked Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries and a popular tourist destination. Vang Vieng is especially popular among backpackers looking for parties and adventure sports.
Neil Farmelo, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in the city, said many of his customers were very concerned about the incident.
“I think this has never happened before, so I hope it’s just a one-time incident,” said Farmelo, who has lived in Vang Vieng for 20 years. “It’s very sad all around. I’m sure no one intended to cause the injury, but that’s what happened.”
The two 19-year-old Australian women, who have now died, fell ill on November 13 after spending a night drinking with a group.
They failed to check out of the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned and were found ill in their room and then flown to Thailand for emergency treatment.
Thai authorities confirmed that Jones died of “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol present in her system.”
The two women joined other guests for free shots of Lao vodka before heading elsewhere and returning in the early hours of the morning, Duong Duc Toan, manager of Nana Backpacker Hostel, told the AP the day before his arrest.
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Hike reported from Bangkok.
& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press
