Australian teen dies in tainted alcohol case in Laos that has killed 6 tourists
Hindustan TimesA second Australian teenager who fell critically ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos has died in a hospital in Bangkok, her family said Friday, bringing the death toll in the mass poisoning of foreign tourists to six. The U.S. State Department on Friday issued a health alert for citizens traveling in Laos, warning of “suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks," following similar alerts from other countries whose citizens were involved. A 28-year-old British woman, Simone White, also died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, the British Foreign Office said. Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system.” Duong Duc Toan, the manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, told the AP the day before he was detained that the two women had joined other guests for free shots of Laotian vodka before heading elsewhere and returning in the early hours of the morning.