28yo lawyer dies after Laos poisoning

A lawyer from the UK has tragically died after apparently being poisoned by a drink laced with methanol while holidaying in Laos.

A British woman has become the fifth tourist to die after apparently being poisoned by a drink laced with methanol while holidaying in Laos.

Simone White, from Orpington in Kent, was among a group of backpackers taken to hospital, after she became ill last week in the tourist hotspot Vang Vieng.

Ms White, 28, was an associate lawyer specialising in intellectual property and technology in London at the American law firm Squire Patton Boggs, The Times reports.

Ms White was travelling with a group who also fell ill after consuming drinks in Vang Vieng on Tuesday night last week.

Simone White.

Ms White, 28, worked as a lawyer in London.

It is still not known where the contaminated drinks were sold.

Simone’s friend Bethany Clarke raised the alarm with an urgent warning on the Laos Backpacking Facebook group.

She wrote: “Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars.

“Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”

Bethany added that she was “very fatigued and then fainted, then just felt nauseous and then my liver started to shut down”.

She continued: “I got to the private hospital in time but underwent many infusions and tablets and days of recovery.”

It comes after the tragic news that Melbourne teenager Bianca Jones, has passed away following the mass poisoning, while her best friend, Holly Bowles, remains on life support in a Thai hospital.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a US citizen died after possibly ingesting the chemical, following the confirmed deaths of two Danish women.

A total of five people have died.

A group of 10 backpackers — including the 19-year-old Australian pair — have fallen ill after the apparent poisoning.

Ms Jones and her best friend Ms Bowles were on the backpacking holiday of a lifetime in Southeast Asia. The pair were visiting Vang Vieng, a popular tourist town about 130km north of the capital city Vientiane in Laos, when the teenagers allegedly consumed drinks spiked with methanol before falling ill.

Holly Bowles is fighting for life in hospital after an apparent methanol poisoning in Laos.

19-year-old Bianca Jones has died while surrounded by family at a hospital in Thailand.

The Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed two young women from Denmark had died as a result of a poisoning in Laos, which is still being investigated by local authorities.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the third death — cited as an American man — was confirmed by the US State Department on Thursday. The publication reported the traveller had died in Vang Vieng. However, the spokesperson declined to provide specific dates or details about the circumstances around the death.

“We can confirm the death of a US citizen in Vang Vieng, Laos,” the US State Department said, as reported by the ABC.

“We offer our sincerest condolences to their family on their loss.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.”

Ms Bowles and Ms Jones were staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Laos.

The teens were travelling in Southeast Asia. Picture: iStock

On Thursday afternoon, Ms Jones’ parents confirmed to the Herald Sun that their daughter had died.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news that our beloved daughter and sister, Bianca Jones, has passed away,” the statement read.

“She was surrounded by love, and we are comforted by the knowledge that her incredible spirit touched so many lives during her time with us.

“We want to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from across Australia.

“The kindness shown to our family during this unimaginable time has been truly humbling.

“We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate through our grief and begin to heal. Thank you for respecting our family’s space.”

According to the Herald Sun, the pair complained they “couldn’t breathe” when they begged for help at a backpackers hostel.

A staff member from Nana Backpackers Hostel, where the women were staying, claims the pair came to reception pleading for assistance and to be taken to hospital.

“They spent all day of the 12th (of November) in their room. We didn’t know what happening with them because they go party outside,” the worker, who went by the nickname Pikachu, said.

Consuming methanol, even just a small amount, can be fatal.

“They come to tell my staff, please, can you help me, bring me to the hospital.

“They feeling hard to breathe, the staff in the night shift just quickly bring her to the hospital.”

The pair had left Melbourne a couple of weeks ago to set off on their dream holiday. They were due to return home for Christmas.

Methanol is often added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal alcohol used in alcoholic drinks.

According to the Methanol Institute, this usually occurs in countries where taxes on ethanol are seen as too high — such as Bali and other Southeast Asian countries.

Drinking just 25 to 90ml of methanol can be fatal, the institute said.