How horror in Laos unfolded and terrifying warning days before Brit died from methanol poisoning

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Six backpackers have tragically died in Laos after falling ill from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos.

It is believed the tourists had all taken shots laced with methanol, which is sometimes used by disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol (alcohol).

This can cause severe poisoning or death - and alongside two Danish travellers and an American, British lawyer Simone White, 28, has passed away following reports that several people had become ill in the popular Laotian town of Vang Vieng.

Two Australian women, who were both 19 and on a gap year together, have also died after allegedly being served methanol-adulterated drinks. It's understood that all those who died had been enjoying "newfound freedom" in the south-east Asian country - but their trips ended abruptly in horror, with them fighting for their lives in hospital.

An officer at Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office said no charges have yet been filed. A "number of people" have, however, been detained in connection with the case. This includes the owner of a hostel in connection with the six deaths, who has refuted claims that poisonous beverages were distributed at his establishment. Here, the Mirror takes a look at how the tragedy unfolded...

Tragic victims

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, was among a number of people taken to hospital last week. Ms White was a lawyer with global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, whose work involved general commercial matters, and contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law issues, according to the firm's website.

It appears she was travelling with her friend, Bethany Clarke, a healthcare worker also from Orpington, Kent, who took to the Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travellers before Simone's passing. She said: "Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. 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."

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed Simone's death on Thursday. The FCDO also said it was also providing consular assistance to British nationals hospitalised in the incident, as well as their families.

The US State Department confirmed that an American had died and Denmark's Foreign Ministry said two of its citizens also died in "the incident in Laos" but neither would comment directly on a link to the methanol poisoning that allegedly killed Ms Jones.

Meanwhile, two 19-year-old Australian women also became fatally ill on November 13 following a night out drinking with a group. They failed to check out from the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned and were found sick in their room and then taken to Thailand for emergency treatment. The first to fatality was Bianca Jones, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese telling parliament that Bianca died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng for treatment in a Thai hospital.

Thai authorities confirmed Ms Jones died earlier this week because of a "brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system". On Friday, it was confirmed that her friend, Holly Bowles, has also died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos, her family said.

Holly had been in a critical condition in hospital in Bangkok for days following the incident in Laos more than a week ago. Australian broadcaster Network 10 read aloud a short statement from the Bowles family, saying: "We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace."

Hostel and 'hard drugs' bar

Landlocked Laos is one of south-east Asia's poorest nations yet it is a popular tourist destination. Vang Vieng in particular is booming with backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.

Earlier, Laotian police detained the manager and owner of the Nana Backpacker Hostel in connection with the death of six people from suspected methanol poisoning. An officer at Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office said a "number of people" had been detained in the case, but no charges have been filed yet.

Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which is still in operation but not accepting new guests, confirmed the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning. Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, said staff were told by other guests that Ms Bowles and Ms Jones were unwell after they failed to check out as planned on November 13, and they arranged transport to a hospital for them.

He said the women had joined more than 100 other guests for free shots of Lao vodka offered by the hostel two days earlier. Ms White was also allegedly among the group having shots. Duong said no other guests reported any issues, adding that the alleged victims had then gone for a night out, returning in the early hours of the morning.

In CCTV footage from inside the hostel, one of the women was filmed being taken away for medical assistance on the back of a motorbike driven by a hotel worker.

Meanwhile, it has been claimed that the two Australian teenagers had visited a bar which has a menu offering hard drugs to customers. Bianca and Holly were seen at Jaidee's Bar in Vang Vieng just hours before being rushed to hospital, WhatsApp messages have revealed.

The best friends drank methanol-laced spirits at the beachfront bar, according to one man who tried to help the Melbourne teens after they began feeling unwell. Jaidee's Bar, which boasts of being the place to be for "drinking, talking, smoking, and smiling but no fighting", is praised online for being a "happy café".

The Herald Sun reports the bar has links to the Asian mafia, describing it as a "dangerous" place with links to organised crime. The publication says the bar even has a drugs menu, which includes the option of buying weed by the joint or bag, "happy brownies", opium, mushrooms and ketamine.

The FCDO said it was in contact with the local authorities regarding the British nationals affected. Laos is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition and the government keeps a tight lid on information. In this case, officials have released almost no details.

The Foreign Ministry has refused to comment, and in Vang Vieng, the small hospital where some of the victims are believed to have been treated initially, referred all questions to the town's health office on the hospital grounds. The town health officials refused to comment, saying they lacked proper permission.

Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in town, said 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 Mr Farmiloe, who has lived in Vang Vieng for 20 years. "It's very sad all around. I'm sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it's happened."

What is methanol poisoning?

Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a by-product of poorly distilled homebrewed liquor, and could have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.

Addressing the potential effects of methanol poisoning, Professor Alastair Hay, Professor (Emeritus) of Environmental Toxicology at the University of Leeds, said: "The risk from methanol is twofold. Methanol breaks down in the body to formaldehyde and then formic acid. The formic acid upsets the acid/base balance in blood and the major consequence is initially the effect on someone's breathing.

"There are effects on many other organs the kidney being one. The disturbance of acid/base balance and disrupted breathing will eventually affect the heart and it will stop functioning. Formaldehyde attacks nerves, particularly the optic nerve and blindness is a potential risk.

"Depending on the severity of poisoning, treatment may require dialysis to remove methanol from blood whilst at the same time keeping someone mildly drunk by administering ethanol. If the poisoning is not too severe, and only blood tests will determine this, ethanol alone may suffice.”

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