Laos, VANG VIENG (AP) At least six visitors have died as a result of the widespread poisoning, which the Laotian government formally recognized on Saturday and pledged to prosecute those responsible.
After consuming poisoned beer in Laos, two Australian adolescents and a British woman perished from what was believed to be methanol poisoning. The precise causes of death for two Danes and one American guy have not yet been made public. A person from New Zealand has also been ill.
The Lao government expressed its deep sadness over the deaths of foreign visitors in the town of Vang Vieng and its sympathies to the victims’ families in a brief statement that was made public to the media.
According to the statement, the Lao PDR government has been investigating the tragedy to determine its causes and to prosecute those responsible in line with the law.
The government of Laos tightly controls information, and the country is a one-party communist state without a formal opposition. Nearly no information has been made public by officials in this instance. The police have stated that they have taken several persons into custody, but they have declined to give more details.
The number of tourists impacted and the potential origin of the methanol-laced beverages have not been made clear.
At shady bars, methanol is occasionally added to mixed cocktails as a less expensive substitute for ethanol, although it can result in fatalities or serious poisoning. Additionally, it is a result of improperly distilled homebrew liquor and may have unintentionally ended up in bar beverages.
Following similar warnings from other nations whose nationals were implicated, the U.S. State Department on Friday issued a health notice for citizens visiting in Laos, warning of potential methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, perhaps due to the ingestion of alcoholic drinks spiked with methanol.
After being evacuated from Laos for emergency care, 19-year-old Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles passed away in Thai hospitals on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Authorities in Thailand verified that Jones’ death was caused by swelling of the brain as a result of excessive methanol levels in her system.
After failing to check out as scheduled, both were discovered ill in their room at the Nana Backpacker Hostel on November 13.
Simone White, a British woman of 28 years old, was also identified as a victim by the U.K. Foreign Office.
One of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, landlocked Laos is also a well-liked travel destination. In particular, backpackers looking for adventure sports and partying love Vang Vieng.
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