Latest news with #methanolpoisoning
News.com.au
a day ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Anger as hotel manager reportedly opens new Laos resort after methanol poisoning killed six tourists
The former manager of the notorious hostel at the centre of the deadly methanol poisonings in Laos is said to be opening up a new luxury resort just down the road. Australians Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were among six tourists staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng last November who tragically died after drinking contaminated alcohol from the hostel bar. No charges have been laid against anyone in the six months since the incident. Just a day after the Herald Sun reported the former hostel manager known as 'Pikachu' had fled to Vietnam and claimed to have not gone back to Laos, Nine News reports Pikachu confirmed to the outlet he is involved in the new Sunrise Mountain View Resort, located just 450 metres away from the closed Nana Backpackers. The parents of Ms Bowles and Ms Jones told the broadcaster in a joint statement that they were 'angered at the recent news from Laos'. Pikachu has been proudly sharing photos and videos on Facebook of the new resort under construction for almost a year, which is promoted as having 'breathtaking views' and a rooftop bar to watch the sunset. In a post on May 24, Pikachu said there would be a month of finishes and 'then we will celebrate welcoming guests', according to an English translation. Sunrise Mountain View Resort has since denied any connection with Pikachu. 'I want to confirm with you that there is no 'Pikachu' in my resort!' an unnamed spokesperson told in an email on Sunday. 'I'm the owner. Telling me there's a 'Pikachu' in my place is not so respectful for me, please don't bother me or cause me any problems!' The Herald Sun had contacted Pikachu via WhatsApp on a number he gave when being interviewed after news broke of the poisonings in November. When asked about what happened to hostel staff who were initially detained, Pikachu said, 'I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk. Maybe one day I go back to Laos but not for a long time. The hostel closed. I have no idea.' Melbourne best friends Ms Bowles and Ms Jones died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with methanol at the Nana Backpackers Hostel. In May, the Australian Department of Foreign Affair and Trade (DFAT) informed the families of Ms Bowles and Ms Jones, who are still desperately seeking answers, that charges have reportedly been recommended by local police against 13 people from Nana Backpackers and the Laos 'Tiger' distillery. The proposed charges include elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations. Mrs Bowles described the charges as 'appalling' and 'insulting', while Mrs Jones said she was 'furious'. 'We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be,' Mrs Jones told 60 Minutes. The other tourists who died include British lawyer Simone White, 28, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American James Louis Hutson, 57. Final moments before horror death in Laos Simone White's travel partner Bethany Clarke recalled the horrific experience of falling ill and witnessing her friend die to last month. Ms Clarke said they got to the hostel's bar just after 8pm on November 19 and consumed between five and six vodka shots served by the hostel, which they mixed with a bottle of Sprite and some ice cubes they also purchased from the bar. At the time, Ms Clarke and Ms White thought nothing of the drinks, but as the night moved on, and by the next morning — the pair started to feel an illness that to this day, Ms Clarke cannot quite explain. The pair woke the next morning to take part in a pre-booked kayaking tour and visit the famous Blue Lagoons which they'd both been looking forward to. 'We woke up and felt slightly off … one of our friends described it as feeling drunk,' she said. 'But … I feel like when you're drunk, you are happy. And this was a bit more … I don't know, just a sense that there wasn't something quite right and you couldn't put your finger on what it was. You would never feel as fatigued as we felt that day.' The pair pushed through, but within hours their condition got progressively worse — particularly for Ms White with a loss of appetite and an inability to swim. By the time the kayaking portion of the tour commenced, Ms Clarke knew this was more than a hangover or food poisoning. 'Simone and I were having to just lay down in the backs of the kayaks … we weren't able to actually use our arms,' she said. Venturing back to Vang Vieng, the pair collected their belongings before boarding a mini bus bound for their next stop, Vientiane. Ms Clarke said she fell asleep straight away at the back of the vehicle, only to be woken to shouts that Ms White was vomiting outside the bus. 'I fainted which I've never done before, so that should have been an alarm bell, but for some reason it wasn't … because of this cognitive decline,' Ms Clarke explained. 'Our [other] friend decided that we'd be taken to a hospital. So we ended up in a public hospital. They didn't have a clue what was wrong with us … they were coming up with food poisoning, but that was not the case.' Ms Clarke claims the hospital did not do the correct blood tests, instead insisting on a full blood count and electrolyte panels, which failed to show methanol poisoning. About 24 hours in, Ms White started to go into respiratory distress, and from there she entered a rapid decline. 'She started gasping for air,' Ms Clarke recalled. 'She then wasn't able to talk to me. She wasn't able to really look at me properly. She had her eyes open, but they were just glazed. 'She wasn't able to concentrate on me, and they [the hospital] were saying to me, she's really anxious. They just had absolutely no idea what to do with her … they gave her oxygen, but again, it was just not the right treatment. She needed to have dialysis at that point.' Ms Clarke made the decision to get Ms White out of the public hospital and into a private facility. As soon as they arrived — around 28 hours after consuming the drinks — Ms White was taken for immediate dialysis. Ms Clarke was forced to make decisions about the life of her best friend while not having full cognitive awareness herself. 'They [hospital] handed a load of forms to fill in … I was just having to wake up from being asleep and they'd say, 'Can you sign this and can you pay for this?'' she recalled. 'It was just horrendous … brain damage had occurred … she actually had five seizures during the process.' Ms Clarke was forced to make the call to Ms White's mother Sue to inform her they were in hospital with suspected methanol poisoning — a conversation she will never escape. Ms White's mother arrived from the UK to Laos just before her daughter went in for brain surgery. 'Sue literally got there as Simone was being wheeled in … obviously all her hair was shaved off. Then a few hours later we found out that although the brain surgery was sort of successful, she'd developed a bleed on that side of the brain as a result of the surgery,' Ms Clarke said. 'The other side of her brain was swollen as well. So at that point, they said that she's just going to end up in a coma regardless of what we do.' Ms Clarke and Mrs White were left with the excruciating wait of letting Ms White 'die naturally'. But because her heartbeat was still so strong, Mrs White had to speak with the British Embassy and plead to allow the turning off of her daughter's life support machine. 'They [the hospital] weren't happy initially with that idea because they're Buddhist and they want prolonged life, not to end it,' Ms Clarke said. 'But it was just a necessary thing that had to happen. Sue had to end Simone's life … And she had, I think, three attempts at trying to turn the machine off, but because she had no member of staff in there, it was just agonising and took a very long time.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Blow to families after staff who served methanol laced drinks that killed Brit lawyer & 5 other backpackers in Laos FLEE
STAFF members who served a Brit backpacker and five other tourists deadly drinks laced with poison in Laos have sparked outrage by fleeing the country. The cruel twist came after Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, and five others died after consuming methanol-spiked vodka shots at the party hotspot last year. 5 5 5 According to the Herald Sun, at least two employees who were "detained" following the horrific ordeal have now fled Laos to neighbouring Vietnam. Tragic Simone was among five other backpackers who also lost their lives after drinking the same fatal beverages. Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19 and from Australia, as well as two young women from Denmark, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American man James Louis Hutson, 57, were also killed. All of them were staying at the hostel along with 100 more guests. After hearing that two of the suspects had fled Laos, Bianca's dad told the Herald Sun: "We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos." The group died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana Backpackers hostel in the town of Vang Vieng last November. Simone was among the victims after she was rushed to hospital in a near paralytic state before being placed on life support for three days. Her mum Sue took a hellish 16-hour journey from Kent to Laos after hearing of her daughter's grave condition. She said she feared Simone would die after being called by the hospital who told her she needed emergency brain surgery. After arriving at Laos hospital Sue was given the devastating ultimatum over whether to leave her daughter on life support or not. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot Doctors refused to switch off the machine due to their religion - but told Sue she could do it herself. The distraught mum said she had to take a tube out of her dying daughter's mouth before making the incredibly painful and "traumatic" decision to switch off the machine. Simone's official cause of death was confirmed as a bleed on the brain, an inquest heard. No charges have been made six months after the fatal ordeal, despite Laotian authorities reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people. The 13 suspects have been accused of violating food and health security, unlawful business operations and the elimination of evidence, according to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. It comes just weeks after the families of Bianca and Holly, who died from suspected methanol poisoning, slammed cops over "appalling" charges. 5 5 The two teens tragically died just days after the shocking incident. Holly's mother told 60 Minutes: "[The charges are] pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting.' Bianca's furious mum added: 'I think we're pretty furious about it … Food and beverage. "You know, that's like? What is that? We don't even know." The parents also said they had written to Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone 'a million times'. The desperate parents claimed to have even contacted his wife, but still say they have not received a response. Why is methanol so deadly? By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent METHANOL is a super-toxic version of alcohol that may be present in drinks if added by crooks to make them stronger or if they are brewed or distilled badly. The consequences can be devastating because as little as a single shot of contaminated booze could be deadly, with just 4ml of methanol potentially enough to cause blindness. Prof Oliver Jones, a chemist at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said: 'The body converts methanol to formic acid. 'Formic acid blocks the action of an enzyme that is critical to how the body uses oxygen to generate energy. 'If it stops working, cells cannot take up or use oxygen from the blood and lack of oxygen causes problems in a range of organs as the cells start to die. 'Symptoms of methanol poisoning include vomiting, seizures and dizziness. 'The optic nerve seems to be particularly vulnerable to methanol toxicity, so there is the potential for temporary or permanent blindness, and even death. 'While thankfully rare, methanol poisoning is very serious, and treatment should be given at a hospital.' An unexpected but key way of treating methanol poisoning is to get the patient drunk with normal alcohol - known as ethanol - to distract the liver and stop it processing the methanol.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Major update in case of lethal methanol poisoning that left two young Australian women dead
Two staff members at the backpackers hostel in Laos where six tourists died, including two Melbourne teenagers, have started working in hospitality in Vietnam. Best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, were visiting the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November when they suffered suspected methanol poisoning. The Australians were among dozens of tourists who were staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel when they became sick after drinking at the venue's bar. It was revealed on Friday by The Daily Telegraph that a bartender and the hostel manager who worked at Nana Backpackers Hostel during the alleged poisoning have found jobs in Vietnam. The manager, who calls himself Pikachu, has been employed at a new hostel. 'I don't know, I go home to Vietnam. I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk,' he said. Asked about staff at the hostel who were detained by police, he said: 'I have not gone back to Laos, I don't want to talk.' 'Maybe one day I go back to Laos but not for a long time. The hostel closed. I have no idea,' he said. Bianca and Holly were among six tourists who died due to the suspected poisoning at the hostel which has remained closed since the investigation was launched last year A profile photo on WhatsApp of the hostel's former bartender, Duang Doc Toan, showed he was working at the Azalea Hotel. Toan, who served Holly and Bianca Laotian vodka, claimed in November last year that it wasn't his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick. He said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted it had not been tainted by himself or his staff. To prove his point, the bartender drank from one of the vodka bottles that were in use on the night to prove it was safe. Ms Jones' father Mark said more needed to be done to address the deaths. 'We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos,' he said. Eight men aged between 23 and 47 were taken into custody following arrests by police on November 25 as part of an investigation into the suspected poisonings. Among those arrested by Vang Vieng police were general staff and managers. There was no suggestion at the time that those detained were responsible for the tourists' deaths and no charges have been laid. A further five people, who were linked to the Tiger distillery, including the manufacturer of the drinks served, were also taken in for questioning. In February, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told federal parliament that authorities in Laos declined the offer of assistance from Australian Federal Police in its investigation of the incident. He vowed that Australian authorities wouldn't drop the matter. 'I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is being consistently offered,' he said. The teens' families said in a joint statement they were 'extremely disappointed' by the lack of updates. 'As the Laos government rejects any support from the AFP our confidence in accountability and justice for everyone affected remains unanswered,' it said. Nana Backpackers Hostel remains closed as the investigation continues.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Laos backpackers staff who served the methanol laced-drinks flee country: report
An investigation into the methanol-laced drinks killings has revealed the two Laos backpackers staff who served the beverages have fled the country. According to a Herald Sun exclusive, at least two of the people 'detained' after the deaths of six people, including Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, at the Nana Backpackers are now in Vietnam. 'We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos,' Ms Jones' father Mark told the publication after being told of the fleeings. Best friends Bianca and Holly were holidaying together through Southeast Asia when things took a horrific turn in Laos. The pair died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana Backpackers hostel in the town of Vang Vieng in November last year. The teens were two of six tourists who died in the same week of methanol poisoning, including British lawyer Simone White, 28, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American James Louis Hutson, 57. On 60 Minutes last Sunday, an update on the case of the mass poisoning was given by the grieving families of the teens. Almost six months on, no charges have been laid despite Laotian authorities reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people connected to the calamity. The Australian Government also received a briefing that charges had been recommended. However, during the 60 Minutes interview, the mothers of Holly and Bianca slammed the proposed charges against those who were allegedly involved, saying they are sceptical that justice will ever be served for their daughters. Mrs Jones and Mrs Bowles said they had written to Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone 'a million times'. They claim to have even contacted his wife. Still, they said they had had no response. Finally, almost two weeks ago the families received the news – not from Laos, but from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) that charges have reportedly been recommended by local police against 13 people from Nana's Hostel and the Tiger distillery. The proposed charges include elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations. For Mr Jones and Mrs Bowles, the proposed charges are shockingly weak. 'Pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting,' Mrs Bowles fumed. Mrs Jones agreed, saying: 'I think we're pretty furious about it … Food and beverage. You know, that's like?' 'What is that? We don't even know,' Mrs Bowles continued. 'We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be.' The mothers said their feeling was that those allegedly involved will simply get a slap on the wrist, and as are only 'going to be fined' if found guilty. Mrs Bowles explained: 'It's heart-breaking … Heart-breaking and just full of anger, frustration.' They believed that Laos authorities simply don't care. 'They don't care. They don't, life is nothing,' Mrs Bowles said. Speaking to Bethany Clarke — who became incredibly unwell from consuming methanol alongside Ms White, however survived the poisoning — agreed that the charges meant nothing and there was only one way of getting justice. 'I think the UK and Australia need to push forward with a travel ban [to Laos] because I don't think that it's fair for Laos to come up with these charges when they should be a lot heavier,' Ms Clarke said from Brisbane. 'The mass poisoning in itself, six people died and loads hospitalised [should be enough for a bigger charge]. 'I think that without a travel ban, I just don't think we will ever get anywhere. I don't know if Australia would ever do that, I understand it's drastic, but they just won't listen to us … and I can't see any other way.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Methanol poisoning: Why travellers are at risk, and how to reduce the dangers
The government must do more to heighten awareness of the risk of methanol poisoning while abroad: that is the message from family and friends of British victims who consumed drinks spiked with the deadly substance. Six backpackers died in Laos in November 2024 after drinking free shots of spirits tainted with methanol at a hostel in Vang Vienna in Laos. Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from London, lost her life along with two Australians, two Danes and an American. Her travelling companion, Bethany Clarke, is campaigning for greater awareness of the dangers. In July 2022, Kirsty McKie, 38, was working as a ceramicist in Bali when she died after drinking liquor contaminated with methanol. 'Kirsty drank a moderate amount and the results were catastrophic,' says her mother, Margaret McKie. After the inquest in Manchester into her death, the coroner said: "There was little publicity by the UK government of the risk in contrast to the approach taken by the Australian government who had undertaken a campaign to increase awareness to protect their citizens travelling in areas of Asia such as Bali.' Besides these tragedies, in recent years deaths from methanol poisoning have also been reported in other countries including Fiji, India, South Africa and Turkey. The Foreign Office says it will 'will explore more ways to inform British travellers about the risks of methanol'. These are the key questions and answers. What is methanol – and why is it so dangerous? Methanol is a chemically simple form of alcohol, also known as wood spirit or methyl alcohol. Its uses are mainly industrial, such as a fuel and a solvent for paint and plastic. The substance is highly toxic and definitely not for human consumption: if ingested, methanol is processed in the body and becomes formic acid, which attacks the system. The UK Health Security Agency says it causes 'coma, convulsions, blindness, nervous system damage and death'. Just 25ml of methanol – about five teaspoons – can prove fatal. Why would anyone add methanol to drinks? Bluntly, to make money. 'Organised crime regularly doctors drinks,' says Jim Dickson MP, who is working with the families and friends of victims to raise awareness of the risks. Adding methanol boosts the alcohol content, and because it has only a very faint smell and is tasteless you would not know that your drink is contaminated. The Methanol Institute, the worldwide trade association for producers, says: 'Methanol is often deliberately and illegally added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol (normal alcohol that can be consumed) in countries where taxes on legitimate alcohol or the cost of legitimate alcohol might be perceived as too high.' The institute likens methanol spiking to adding petrol to a drink. Poisoning can also happen with home-made alcohol that isn't brewed properly, producing methanol instead of ethanol. What are the symptoms? Beverley Tompkins, travel health nurse for Nomad Travel has written an excellent blog on the dangers of methanol, which says: 'The first signs of poisoning include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, tiredness, confusion and dizziness. 'Further symptoms appear 12-48 hours later and can include headaches, blurry vision, trouble looking at bright lights, tunnel vision or seeing static – like that on an old TV screen – or complete blindness, seizures and coma.' Ms Tompkins says any one of these symptoms is 'a red flag that this is not normal alcohol poisoning'. Urgent hospital medical care must be sought immediately. Treatment includes ethanol ('ordinary' alcohol), a drug called Fomepizole – which stops the methanol turning into formic acid – and dialysis to flush out the system. Where are the biggest risks? The Foreign Office includes information about the risks from methanol poisoning in travel advice pages for five South East Asian nations – Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia – as well as Costa Rica, Fiji and Turkey. The Australian government widens the danger area, saying methanol poisoning 'can be a risk in popular destinations in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe'. What should travellers look out for before drinking? Any situation in which a drink could have been tainted with methanol – or drugs, for that matter. For example, a bar in which shots are poured from open bottles. The Foreign Office warns: 'Say no to drinks from strangers. 'Go to reputable venues. Stick to places with a decent reputation – shady bars aren't worth the risk.' In a relaxed backpacker environment such as a hostel, it is easy to see how travellers could be lulled into a false sense of security. But the dangers extend far beyond the backpacker circuit. Campaigners point out that in Bali, methanol poisoning has been known to affect guests at beach clubs and five-star hotels. 'Drinking at reputable establishments reduces the risk of methanol poisoning, but doesn't eliminate it,' says the Australian government. It urges caution if offered 'unusually cheap or discounted brand-name alcohol'. Margaret McKie, mother of Kirsty McKie, says: 'Kirsty had lived and worked in Bali for years and was well informed about the dangers of methanol. She and her fiance purchased alcohol from a supposedly reputable source that supplied high-end hotels and restaurants.' The Foreign Office minister Catherine West add: 'What is in bottles in supermarkets, in some cases, will not be what is described on the label.' What is the best policy for travellers? If you are in a bar, only consume drinks you can watch being opened and poured. The ideal is canned or bottled beer – in a tropical environment the more fluid the better, too. 'Steer clear, drink beer' is a valuable mantra. If you are buying for consumption in your hostel or hotel, go for a reputable retailer. Avoid anything that could be home brew, and beware of drinks that are significantly cheaper than the market average. The UK government says: 'Check your bottles. Seals should be intact, and labels should look legit (no misspellings or dodgy print).' But campaigners say: 'Branded bottles are often refilled with (home-brewed) alcohol.' Be aware of the initial symptoms of methanol poisoning, including nausea, abdominal pain, breathing difficulties and confusion, so you can help others deal with what is a serious medical emergency.
