Doc who tried to save Laos ‘methanol shot’ victim reveals horror speed of poisoning as mystery still surrounds tragedy
A DOCTOR who tried to save a teenager before she died from suspected methanol poisoning said she went from confused to comatose in just half an hour.
Holly Bowles, 19, and five other tourists were killed after they drank free shots feared to be laced with methanol in Laos, south east Asia.
Among the victims were British lawyer, Simone White, and two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20 and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21.
Holly, from Melbourne, Australia, died from suspected poisoning on Friday – just a day after her friend Bianca Jones, 19.
Staff at the hostel where they were staying became concerned when they failed to check out on the morning of November 13.
The two teenagers had collapsed at the Nana Backpacker Hostel after accepting the apparent tainted booze two nights prior.
Holly was rushed to hospital and was initially treated by Dr Yaher at the district hospital in the town of Vang Vieng.
He told how quickly she deteriorated, and dropped into a coma within half an hour.
Dr Yaher told The Times: “She was confused and she was sleepy.
“We asked her what she had eaten or drunk, but she didn’t know what had happened.”
Holly then suffered a seizure and went into a coma before being dashed to another hospital.
She was later taken for treatment in nearby Thailand before dying nine days later on November 22.
Her friend Bianca, who she was on a “dream getaway” with, died the day before.
Their families are now campaigning to raise awareness about methanol poisoning – with a GoFundMe page raising more than £120,000.
The page reads: “This campaign, organised by the families of Bianca and Holly, aims to raise awareness about the dangers of methanol poisoning — a silent but deadly risk that often claims lives without warning.
“We want to honour the memory of Bianca, Holly, and others impacted by methanol poisoning by turning this tragedy into a mission for change.”
Money raised will be used to bring their bodies home, support existing initiatives, and fund awareness campaigns.
It comes as Australia’s Federal Police (AFP) has confirmed it has offered to assist the investigation in Laos.
An AFP spokesman said: “The AFP is liaising with relevant law enforcement officials and will provide assistance or capability if requested.
“The AFP also has a permanently-based liaison officer in the region.”
Among the victims of the feared mass poisoning was 28-year-old Simone White.
The lawyer, from Orpington, Kent, died last Thursday after being offered free shots which were allegedly spiked.
Simone’s devastated mum Sue White previously told The Sun: “They had to wait an hour for the ambulance and by the time they got there, Simone was delirious and had trouble breathing.
“I think, basically, it had already affected her brain.”
The sixth victim was American tourist James Hutson, 56, who was found unconscious in his hotel room on November 13.
Up to 12 travellers, including as many as five Brits, are still in hospital.
A tourist from New Zealand who fell ill after drinking contaminated alcohol has been able to return home.
Nervous backpackers in Laos are now avoiding taking free shots amid fears they could be laced with methanol – an industrial chemical often used in bootleg alcohol.
Local police detained the owner and manager of the hostel amid their probe.
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan previously denied that any drinks served there could have made the holidaymakers ill.
What is methanol?
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.