Methanol death in Laos: British backpacker reveals harrowing details of drinking nightmare before Australian teens’ deaths

Tributes continue to pour in for the two Australian women who died in suspected mass methanol poisoning as another backpacker told of her horror ordeal at the Laos hostel.

Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles, 19, died on Friday in a Bangkok hospital, a day after her best friend Bianca Jones, also 19, died in another hospital in the Thai capital.

The girls, from Beaumaris in Melbourne’s south-east, were on holiday in Laos last week when they fell ill, along with a dozen other tourists in the popular tourist town of Vang Vieng.

Both girls were heavily involved with Beaumaris Football Club who on Saturday posted a tribute to the pair, showing ribbons of blue and yellow, the club’s colours, tied to a sign at their home ground.

“Please join us in turning the Beaumaris Blue & Yellow into a loving memory of both girls gone too soon and in support of their grieving parents,” the club wrote on Instagram, following a “private gathering” for players and coaches on Friday night.

Ms Bowles’ parents confirmed her death on Friday and said they were always incredibly proud of their daughter, who was “now at peace”.

“We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people,” they said in a statement.

“Holly lived her best life traveling through Southeast Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences.”

Ms Bowles and Ms Jones did not leave their room at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng after going to Jaidee Bar, and reported feeling sick on November 13 before being taken to hospital in Bangkok.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones died of “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system”.

The manager and owner of the hostel where the two young women lived have been arrested by Lao police.

A British backpacker has since come forward to tell his story of being poisoned at the same bar the two young Aussies frequented, revealing harrowing details of the ordeal.

The young woman, who did not want to be named, told the Herald Sun she was drinking at the Nana Backpacker Hostel on November 9, just two days before the Aussie couple.

She became violently ill after having just two “free vodkas” at the hostel, before suffering temporary blindness and spending the next day vomiting, with a resting heart rate of 170 beats per minute.

Both girls were heavily involved in Beaumaris Football Club. Credit: DELIVERED/PR IMAGE

The young woman sought help at the local hospital following pleas from her boyfriend, where she was given an IV drip before being discharged with anti-nausea medication.

“I just thought I was hungover, I spent the day going between my room and the toilet and just throwing up,” she said.

Although the terrifying ordeal ended for the young woman, she said she feels “terrible” for the two Australian women and their families.

The suspected methanol poisoning has so far been linked to six deaths, including the two Australians, 28-year-old British woman Simone White, American man James Louis Hutson, 57, and Danish women Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sørensen, 21.

It is believed that all the affected tourists had consumed drinks laced with methanol.

A Lao police document reported that the American victim was found dead in his hostel room next to two empty bottles of vodka, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, while the two Danes were discovered unconscious on their bathroom floor.

Authorities stated in the report that the Nana Backpacker Hostel continued to operate for nine days after the discovery of Hutson.

In an official statement released on Saturday, the Lao government said it was “deeply saddened by the loss of life” of visitors to the country.

“The government of Lao PDR has conducted investigations to find the causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law,” it said.

“The Government of Lao PDR confirms that it always attaches importance and pays attention to the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists.”

The Australian government has updated its travel advice for Laos, urging residents to be aware of the potential risk of alcohol-based drinks, including cocktails.

“Symptoms of methanol poisoning can be similar to drinking too much. But they are usually stronger,” says advice on the SmartTraveller website.

“Symptoms of methanol poisoning include fatigue, headache, nausea (and) vision problems.”

with AAP

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Methanol death in Laos: British backpacker reveals harrowing details of drinking nightmare before Australian teens’ deaths

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