Sixth tourist dies in tainted alcohol case in Laos

VANG VIENG, LAOS — 

A 2nd Australian teen who fell critically sick aft drinking tainted intoxicant successful Laos has died successful a infirmary successful Bangkok, her household said Friday, bringing the decease toll successful the wide poisoning of overseas tourists to six.

Holly Bowles, 19, had been successful captious information connected beingness enactment pursuing the poisoning successful Laos much than a week ago.

"We are truthful bittersweet to accidental that our beauteous miss Holly is present astatine peace," her household said successful a connection sent to Australian Network 10 and different Australian media. "We find comfortableness and solace successful knowing that Holly brought truthful overmuch joyousness and happiness to truthful galore people."

An serviceman astatine Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office, who refused to springiness his name, told The Associated Press connected Friday that a "number of people" had been detained successful the lawsuit but that nary charges person been filed.

Staff astatine the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which was inactive operating but not accepting caller guests, confirmed that the manager and proprietor were among those taken successful for questioning.

Tourist constabulary offices are communal successful Southeast Asia and are acceptable up specifically to assistance with incidents involving tourists and different foreigners.

The U.S. State Department connected Friday issued a wellness alert for citizens traveling successful Laos, informing of "suspected methanol poisoning successful Vang Vieng, perchance done the depletion of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks," pursuing akin alerts from different countries whose citizens were involved.

Australia's premier curate announced Thursday that a 19-year-old citizen, Bianca Jones, had died successful a Thai infirmary wherever she had been evacuated for exigency treatment, and that her person — Bowles — remained successful a infirmary "fighting for her life."

A 28-year-old British woman, Simone White, besides died successful the suspected poisoning, the British Foreign Office said.

An American and 2 Danish tourists besides died, though specifics astir the causes of decease person not been released.

New Zealand's Foreign Ministry said 1 of its citizens was sickened successful Laos and was a imaginable unfortunate of methanol poisoning.

White's household said they were "devastated by the nonaccomplishment of our beautiful, benignant and loving girl Simone," who had "the astir fantastic vigor and spark for life."

"Our hearts spell retired to each different families who person been affected by this unspeakable tragedy," the household said successful a connection issued by instrumentality steadfast Squire Patton Boggs, wherever White worked arsenic a lawyer.

Laos is simply a one-party communist authorities with nary organized opposition, and the authorities keeps a choky lid connected information. In this case, officials person released astir nary details.

The Foreign Ministry has refused to comment, and successful Vang Vieng the tiny infirmary wherever immoderate of the victims are believed to person been treated initially referred each questions to the town's wellness bureau connected the infirmary grounds. The municipality wellness officials refused to comment, saying they lacked due permission.

Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks astatine disreputable bars arsenic a cheaper alternate to ethanol but tin origin terrible poisoning oregon death. It is besides a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor and could person recovered its mode into barroom drinks inadvertently.

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.

Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen edifice successful town, said galore of his customers were disquieted astir the incident.

"I deliberation it's ne'er happened before, truthful it is hopefully conscionable a one-off incident," said Farmiloe, who has lived successful Vang Vieng for 20 years. "It's precise bittersweet each around. I'm definite cipher intended to origin injury, but it's happened."

The 2 19-year-old Australian women who person some present died fell sick connected November 13 pursuing a nighttime retired drinking with a group.

They failed to cheque retired from the Nana Backpacker Hostel arsenic planned and were recovered sick successful their country and past taken to Thailand for exigency treatment.

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

Duong Duc Toan, the manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, told the AP the time earlier helium was detained that the 2 women had joined different guests for escaped shots of Laotian vodka earlier heading elsewhere and returning successful the aboriginal hours of the morning.