Australian tourist dies after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos, raising toll to four

“This is each parent’s precise worst fearfulness and a nightmare that nary 1 should person to endure,” Albanese said. “We besides instrumentality this infinitesimal to accidental that we are reasoning of Bianca’s friend, Holly Bowles, who is warring for her life.”

They are believed to person consumed drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes added to mixed-drinks astatine disreputable bars arsenic a cheaper alternate to ethanol, but tin origin terrible poisoning oregon death.

Telephone numbers listed for the Laos’ Health Ministry did not enactment and the constabulary refused to remark connected the incident. Australia said “several overseas nationals” had besides been victims of methanol poisoning. The US State Department confirmed that an American had besides died successful Vang Vieng, and Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said 2 of its citizens had besides died successful “the incidental successful Laos,” but neither would remark straight connected a nexus to the methanol poisoning that killed Jones. Shaun Bowles told reporters extracurricular Bangkok Hospital connected Wednesday that his girl remained successful a captious information and connected beingness support. “We would conscionable similar to convey everyone from backmost location for each of the enactment and emotion we are receiving,” helium said. “But we would besides similar the radical to admit close now, we conscionable request privateness truthful we tin walk arsenic overmuch clip arsenic we tin with Holly.”

In a connection to the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper, Jones’ household asked for privateness successful their grief. “She was surrounded by love, and we are comforted by the cognition that her unthinkable tone touched truthful galore lives during her clip with us,” the household wrote.

“We privation to explicit our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from crossed Australia.”

The US State Department said section authorities were investigating the lawsuit and were liable for providing immoderate details, and that the US was providing consular assistance. “We connection our sincerest condolences to the household connected their loss,” the State Department said successful an emailed connection to The Associated Press.

Landlocked Laos is 1 of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations and a fashionable tourer destination. Vang Vieng is peculiarly fashionable among backpackers seeking partying and escapade sports. Details connected the intoxicant poisoning began trickling retired astir a week aft the 2 Australian women fell sick connected November 13, pursuing a nighttime retired drinking with a radical successful the distant town.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by “brain swelling owed to precocious levels of methanol recovered successful her system.”

“Drink spiking and methanol poisoning are acold excessively communal successful galore parts of the world,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said aft receiving quality of Jones’ death. “At this time, I would accidental to parents, to young people, delight person a speech astir risks, delight pass yourselves, delight let’s enactment unneurotic to guarantee this calamity doesn’t hap again.”

New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that 1 of its citizens was besides unwell successful Laos and could beryllium a unfortunate of methanol poisoning. “We person updated our question advisory for Laos to enactment that determination person been respective cases of suspected methanol poisoning aft consuming alcoholic drinks,” New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said. “Travelers are advised to beryllium cautious astir consuming alcoholic beverages, peculiarly cocktails and drinks made with spirits that whitethorn person been adulterated with harmful substances.”

Australia besides updated its question advice, cautioning that respective overseas nationals had been victims of suspected methanol poisoning successful Laos this month. The US did not instantly contented an updated question advisory. On Tuesday, Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel wherever the 2 Australian women stayed successful Vang Vieng, told the AP that unit were told by different guests that the 2 women were unwell aft they failed to cheque retired arsenic planned connected November 13, and they arranged transport to a infirmary for them.

The women were past taken to Thailand for exigency aesculapian attraction and their parents flew successful to beryllium with them.

“All Australians connection them our deepest sympathy successful this clip of heartbreak,” Albanese said. “Bianca’s travel should person been a joyous clip and a root of fond memories successful the years to come,” helium said. “It is beyond bittersweet that this was not to be.”