5 tourists have died from drinking tainted alcohol in Laos
Oleksandr Rupeta/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
- Five tourists have died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos.
- The victims are an American, two Danes, a Brit, and an Australian.
- The US State Department said it was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
Several tourists have died from drinking tainted alcohol in Vang Vieng, Laos.
An American, two Danes, a Brit, and an Australian died of suspected methanol poisoning, according to various reports.
A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed to Business Insider on Thursday that a US citizen had died in Vang Vieng and that the agency was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
A spokesperson for Britain's Foreign Office told CNN, "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities."
Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told CNN that two Danish nationals had died but provided no further details.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old Australian tourist named Bianca Jones had died.
"This is every parent's very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure," Albanese said.
He also said that he was praying for Jones' friend Holly Bowles, who is in a hospital in Thailand "fighting for her life."
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote that local authorities in Laos were investigating the case and trying to ascertain where the tainted alcohol came from.
The ingestion of methanol, a type of alcohol that is used in cleaning products, adhesives, and paints, can lead to nausea, vomiting, and heart and respiratory failure, per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vang Vieng, a small town in the center of Laos, is a popular destination for backpackers. It is surrounded by mountains, caves, and rivers.
Representatives of the British Foreign Office, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the embassy of Laos in Singapore didn't respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside business hours.