A British lawyer has become the latest fatality of alcoholic poisoning in Laos taking the death toll to five people. The chilling incident has sent shockwaves across the globe.
The British lawyer Simone White is the tragic fifth victim in a series of suspected mass poisonings in Laos, Southeast Asia.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson grieved alongside her family, confirming her untimely death yesterday, November 21.
“We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities.”
The 28 year old lawyer’s death comes hot on the heels of another shocking announcement earlier that day: the death of 19 year old Australian backpacker Bianca Jones. The horror story doesn’t end there: just hours earlier, reports emerged from the US State Department about the death of an American man in the same tourist hotspot, Vang Vieng.
The list of casualties continues with two Danish women, aged just 19 and 20, who also fell victim last week, though Danish officials are keeping further details tightly under wraps due to confidentiality concerns.
All these tragic deaths are currently under intense police investigation. However, whispers and warnings are spreading like wildfire amongst travellers and tourist forums: local drinks contaminated with deadly methanol—an all-too-common threat in bootleg booze.
Vang Vieng, a quaint riverside town known for its allure to adventurous young Western backpackers, is a famed stop along the Banana Pancake Trail: a backpacking rite of passage that winds through Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The town now finds itself at the heart of an international tragedy.
As the dust settles on this nightmare, others remain caught in the crossfire: Bianca’s friend, Holly Bowles, clings to life in a Bangkok hospital, while another British woman has been reportedly taken ill.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s foreign ministry confirmed one of its citizens is also suffering from suspected methanol poisoning, and the Netherlands has confirmed a Dutch tourist is hospitalised but stable.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese articulated the distress of the nation, confirming Bianca’s death.
“Our first thoughts at this moment are with her family and friends who are grieving a terrible and cruel loss. This is every parent’s very worst fear.”
The Aussie PM voiced hopes for the recovery of Bowles, currently fighting for her life in Bangkok Hospital.
The US State Department is keeping a watchful eye on investigations regarding their own citizen’s tragic end while pointing out it’s up to local Laotian authorities to determine the full, grim story.
Foreign ministries from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand have all issued stark warnings to their citizens about the deadly potential of methanol when drinking in Laos.
In a grim development, the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, where the two Australian women were guests, has shut its doors amid the ongoing police probe.
The hostel manager told the press that the ill-fated night began with free shots of local Lao vodka, dispensed generously to more than 100 guests. The manager insisted that no other incidents were reported, as he fervently hoped for the hostel’s name to be cleared. Yet, free shots have been axed for the foreseeable future.
Heart-wrenchingly, Bianca Jones’s family released a statement to the Herald Sun, expressing their “deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from across Australia.”
The family kindly requested privacy as they embarked on the most difficult journey of all, grieving a beloved daughter.
The spectre of methanol poisoning is a grim reminder of its deadly potency. Unlike ethanol, the safer staple of a nightly tipple, methanol is a toxic impostor, often slipped into bootleg spirits to cut corners and costs.
As Laos grapples with this unfolding tragedy, tourists are being urged to sip with caution or steer well clear.
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