Laos poisoning: Australian teen becomes fourth person to die as tourists urged to avoid drinks

The household of Australian teen Bianca Jones, 19, expressed their "deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received" from crossed the country

An Australian teen has been confirmed arsenic the 4th tourer to dice pursuing a suspected wide poisoning astatine a Laos resort.

The household of Bianca Jones, 19, contiguous confirmed she had died. Her confirmed decease comes aft the US State Department said an American had died successful Vang Vieng, a municipality known for its influx of tourists.

Laos officials said 2 Danish women, aged 19 and 20, had besides died pursuing the incident. Bianca's person Holly Bowles and a British pistillate are understood to inactive beryllium connected beingness support.

Police person launched an probe into the deaths though reports from the BBC said they mightiness person consumed intoxicant containing methanol, a substance sometimes recovered successful bootlegged alcohol. While ethanol is simply a cardinal portion of alcohol, methanol is toxic and is added to immoderate bootleg liquor arsenic a inexpensive mode to summation the intoxicant content.

US officials said they were "closely monitoring" the concern regarding the American victim. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said officials successful the state had besides confirmed Bianca's death. He said today: "Our archetypal thoughts successful this infinitesimal are with her household and friends who are grieving a unspeakable and cruel loss.

"This is each parent's precise worst fearfulness and a nightmare that nary 1 should person to endure." Both UK and Australian officials warned citizens to beryllium cautious erstwhile consuming intoxicant successful Laos.

Nana Backpacker Hostel, wherever the 2 Australians had been staying, told the BBC it had closed amid a constabulary probe into the deaths. The manager told the Associated Press they hoped the probe would wide the hostel's name.

It had been reported that hostel unit had fixed retired escaped shots of Lao vodka to 100 guests astatine the hotel. Bianca's household told Australian outlet the Herald Sun that they expressed their "deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from crossed Australia. We kindly inquire for privateness arsenic we navigate done our grief and statesman to heal."