- Five tourists have died in Laos due to suspected methanol poisoning.
- The victims include one American, two Danes, one British national, and one Australian.
- The US State Department said it was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
Several tourists died after drinking contaminated alcohol in Vang Vieng, Laos.
According to various reports, an American, two Danes, a British citizen and an Australian died from suspected methanol poisoning.
A US State Department spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider on Thursday that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng and that the State Department was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
A British Foreign Office spokesperson told CNN: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Laos and are liaising with local authorities.”
Denmark’s Foreign Ministry told CNN that two Danes were killed, but did not provide 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 worst fear and a nightmare no one should have to endure,” Ms Albanese said.
He also said he was praying for Mr Jones’ friend Holly Bowles, who is “fighting for her life” in a hospital in Thailand.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told BI it “continues to provide consular assistance to the families of two Australian nationals in Thailand, one of whom tragically passed away.”
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote that local authorities in Laos are investigating the incident and trying to determine where the contaminated alcohol came from.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ingesting methanol, a type of alcohol used in cleaning products, adhesives, and paints, can cause nausea, vomiting, and heart and respiratory failure.
Vang Vieng, a small town in the heart of Laos, is a popular destination for backpackers. It is surrounded by mountains, caves and rivers.
Representatives from the British Foreign Office, the Danish Foreign Office and the Lao Embassy in Singapore did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider outside of business hours.
22 November, 2:30 a.m. — This article has been updated with comment from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.