Many people enjoy drinks while on vacation. It's one of the perks of well, vacation. But six tourists have died after drinking cocktails spiked with methanol.
It's a heartbreaking and sobering tragedy. The tourists were drinking cocktails at a Laotian hostel, not realizing the drinks contained methanol and not ethanol. Two Danish women, an American, and two Australians have died after consuming the tainted alcohol. 19-year-old Holly Bowles, from Australia, became the sixth person to die after drinking the alcohol.
Six other people remain in the hospital.
"We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace," her family said in a statement. "We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people."
Tourists Die From Spiked Drinks
Meanwhile, an officer at Vang Vieng's Tourism Police office said they detained several people for the crime. However, they haven't charged anyone yet. The tourists drank the cocktails at the Nana Backpacker Hostel. The U.S. State Department issued a warning to tourists in Laos. It warned of "suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks."
All of the tourists died from methanol poisoning. Sometimes, people replaced ethanol for methanol in alcoholic beverages in countries in Southeast Asia. This is because the taxes on ethanol are typically higher in the region. However, it's very easy to overdose on methanol with it requiring just .85 ounces to be fatal. It can also cause seizures and blindness.
One of the tourists died of "brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system." At the hostel, staff was giving out free shots of vodka to its 100 guests. However, investigators allegedly cleared the drinks involved for containing methanol.
"The police in Vang Vieng and [the capital] Vientiane already came to the hostel to check, the shop [where] we buy the vodka, check the shop [where] we buy the whiskey," manager Duong Duc Toan said. "We don't do anything wrong, for sure. I really take care of all of the customers [who] stay with our hotel and our hostel."
Meanwhile, locals are worried about the incident.
Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in town, said customers are concerned.
"I think it's never happened before, so it is hopefully just a one-off incident," said Farmiloe. "It's very sad all around. I'm sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it happened."
