Four tourists die of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos

Four tourists in Laos, including an Australian teenager, have died after drinking alcohol contaminated with methanol in a town popular with backpackers in the Southeast Asian nation, Australian officials have said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos, for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalised in neighbouring Thailand.

Australian officials said Jones and her friend are believed to have consumed alcoholic drinks tainted with methanol, an ingredient sometimes added as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but which can cause severe poisoning.

“This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” Albanese said.

The US State Department confirmed that an American had also died in Vang Vieng, and Denmark's Foreign Ministry said two of its citizens had also died in “the incident in Laos,” but neither would comment directly on a link to the methanol poisoning that killed Jones.

The US State Department said local authorities were investigating the case, with the US providing consular assistance.

Suspected methanol link

The Australian tourists first fell ill after a night out on 12 November in Vang Vieng, a backpacking hotspot in Southeast Asia.

On Tuesday, Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel where the two Australian women stayed in Vang Vieng, said staff were told by other guests the two women were unwell after they failed to check out as planned, and they arranged transport to a hospital for them.

Details of the suspected alcohol poisoning began trickling out about a week after the two Australian women fell ill on 13 November.

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

“Drink spiking and methanol poisoning are far too common in many parts of the world,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after receiving news of Jones' death.

New Zealand's foreign ministry said on Thursday that one of its citizens was also unwell in Laos and could be a victim of methanol poisoning.

Both Australia and New Zealand have updated their travel advice to Laos, urging travellers to be cautious about consuming alcoholic beverages.