Latest news with #NanaBackpackerHostel
BBC News
12-06-2025
- BBC News
Laos hostel linked to methanol deaths set to reopen
A backpackers' hostel linked to the deaths of six tourists is set to reopen under a new Clarke and her friend Simone White, who later died, fell ill after drinking free vodka shots in the town of Vang Vieng last suspected their drinks at the Nana Backpacker Hostel were laced with methanol - a deadly substance linked to bootleg Newsbeat has found evidence the hostel is due to reopen at the same address in August. Bethany believes the same management is still in charge. Bethany says she and Simone, from London, became unwell a day after being offered drinks at the Nana initially mistook symptoms for food poisoning but were eventually taken to recovered but Simone, 28, died several days later, as did five other tourists from Australia, Denmark and the US. 'Unbelievable' The owners of the Nana hostel denied serving illicit alcohol but it has remained closed since the a listing for Vang Vieng Central Backpacker Hostel - taking bookings from 23 August this year - has appeared on travel websites Tripadvisor and Agoda.A link that previously took users to the Nana hostel's page redirects them to the amended showing the Nana Backpacker Hostel name painted on a sign and printed on menus remain on the page, as well as guest reviews naming the former confirmed to Newsbeat the hostel was reopening with a new concerned that the new business is being run by the same people it was before."I'm shocked. If it's the same management or ownership involved, I wouldn't trust them."It's just unbelievable because we know that was where we were poisoned."A Tripadvisor spokesperson said old photos and reviews could be deleted if it was informed of a change in ownership, although it's not a requirement. There is further evidence to suggest the Vang Vieng hostel and the Nana hostel are linked. Building work is currently being carried out at the address, according to travellers staying in the Frankie, who shared photos of the site with Newsbeat, says there was "building equipment everywhere" when she walked past on Tuesday."They're clearly refurbishing it," she says. In one photo, showing a sign reading Vang Vieng Central Backpacker Hostel, a phone number is same number appears in messages, seen by Newsbeat, sent between Bethany and staff at the Nana hostel. When a reporter called the number, the person who answered hung calls and messages, including those from BBC colleagues based in the region, were blocked. Frankie, 23, says it's "horrendous" to think the business could "carry on like normal". "[Vang Vieng] is kind of empty in terms of backpackers. People are drinking, but it feels a bit eerie and quiet."Frankie says people she's met on her travels are well aware of the methanol poisonings last year. "A lot of the backpackers we've met have mentioned the name of Nana hostel. There's definitely an awareness about it,' she adds the name change makes her "very uneasy" and she'll tell her friends about it when they travel to the country. Bethany, who previously called for more education on the dangers of drinking abroad, says she wants to warn others."I was not completely convinced we would end up getting justice for Simone and the other victims, so I thought the best thing I can do is to try and educate the younger generation."And while she waits to find out whether anyone will face action over Simone's death, what little hope she had for answers is starting to fade. In November, authorities in Laos promised an investigation into the deaths of Simone and Australians Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, both from Denmark, and US national James Louis Hutson, workers, including the manager of the Nana hostel, were detained for questioning by police. The manager denied any responsibility, saying hundreds of guests had been given shots without becoming shared a recent email sent by the UK Foreign Office stating that authorities in Laos had proposed charges against 13 people over food safety has seen an email from the Australian government with the same update and has approached its foreign office for comment. A Foreign Office spokesperson declined to comment on the email but confirmed the UK government was in contact with authorities in Laos and supporting the family of a British woman who died in the country. Newsbeat has contacted Agoda for comment. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
The Irish Sun
08-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Free booze killed our pal & sister… people are bottling this poison for tourists and we need to flag the warning signs
LIFTING her drink, Bethany Clarke clinked glasses with her best friend Simone White and they each took a swig. The vodka and lemonade, which the girls had been given for free at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, tasted weak, but they assumed it had been watered down. 6 Bethany Clarke and Simone White were on holiday together in Laos when what seemed like a fun night out turned into tragedy Credit: Supplied by Bethany Clarke 6 With suspected methanol poisoning claiming the lives of ever more tourists, we speak to the victims and campaigners desperately trying to put a stop to it Credit: Getty 6 Best friends Bethany and Simone fell ill after drinking vodka shots abroad — it was later found they'd been poisoned with methanol Credit: Bethany Clarke The childhood friends, from Orpington, Kent, enjoyed five more freebie drinks during the hostel's happy hour, blissfully unaware that within 24 hours, they would both be critically ill. Nine days later, on November 21 last year, 'It's hard to put into words how horrendous it was,' says Bethany, a podiatrist who now lives in Brisbane. 'It was the worst period of my life. I could not understand how we'd gone from having a few drinks in a bar together, to this." The morning after, we all felt fine. It just seemed like a bad hangover Bethany Clarke Along with Simone, Denmark , and American James Louis Hutson, 57, also lost their lives. This shocking case is just one of a number of methanol poisoning incidents in popular backpacker destinations, such as Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, in recent months. The issue mainly affects poorer countries, where law enforcement is under-resourced and there are few regulations around food and alcohol standards. In Southeast Asia, there is also an industry of home-brewed alcohol, which can lead to accidental poisonings. Experts have warned that the true scope of the problem is unknown. Fiona Chuah, methanol poisoning initiative team lead at Doctors Without Borders, says: 'Without a comprehensive national and international surveillance and reporting system, the prevalence is likely under reported. 'Many cases go unrecognised, because symptoms – which often appear 12 to 24 hours after ingestion – such as headache, nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances, are often mistaken for hangovers, food poisoning or other illnesses, and this then delays critical treatment.' Bethany and Simone met at primary school and had previously travelled together to countries including Thailand and China, before planning their two-and-a-half-week trip for November 2024. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot They met up in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, before arriving in Vang Vieng in Laos on November 11. They spent the next day 'tubing' – a bar crawl using inflatables along a river – before joining a friend, Daniel*, for free vodka shots at the hostel, which they mixed with Sprite. 'There was a nice vibe,' Bethany recalls. 'We had been drinking in random bars in places like Bali and Thailand before and not seen it as a risk.' I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but also trying to advocate for Simone and keep an eye on all our possessions Bethany Clarke After around two hours, the trio left, feeling 'not particularly drunk'. The next morning, they joined a kayaking excursion. 'We all felt a bit off, but fine,' Bethany says. 'It just seemed like a bad hangover.' That night, the trio boarded a minibus to make the two-hour journey to Laos' capital, Vientiane, during which Simone was sick and Bethany fainted. The driver dropped them at a public hospital, where medics wrongly suspected food poisoning or drug use and gave them IV fluids via a drip. Soon after, Simone's condition worsened. The group were transferred to a private hospital where, at around 11.30pm – 26 hours after drinking the shots – tests showed methanol poisoning. 'I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but also trying to advocate for Simone and keep an eye on all our possessions,' Bethany recalls. 'I still hoped it would all be OK. 'I even thought we might be able to carry on with the holiday .' The next day, Bethany and Daniel, whose condition had stabilised, were moved to another ward and told that Simone was sedated but also improving. In the meantime, Bethany's worried family offered to travel out to be with her, but she refused. 'I had no idea how long we would be in hospital, or that Simone wouldn't survive,' she says. I wondered if it had been me who had picked up the 'bad' drinks and given them to Simone Bethany Clarke Later, as Sue was preparing to fly 16 hours from the UK, Bethany had to contact her again, as Simone had deteriorated and needed consent for brain surgery. Sue arrived in Laos just ahead of the operation, but sadly it was unsuccessful. Six days later, her life support was switched off. 'I was in denial. None of us could believe what had happened,' says Bethany, who flew back to the UK with Sue and Daniel that same evening. Simone was repatriated days later, and her funeral was held in December. 'Afterwards, I had to keep talking about what had happened as I tried to understand it. I wondered if it had been me who had picked up the 'bad' drinks and given them to Simone,' says Bethany. 'I'm smaller than her and I have epilepsy, 'It was a lot for my family to cope with, too. 'For them, I nearly died as well.' DEADLY HOMEBREW Methanol can affect people differently, depending on the mix of the drink and how an individual metabolises it, explains Dr Knut Erik Hovda, technical consultant at the Methanol Poisoning Institute (MPi), a Doctors Without Borders initiative. 'It is not the methanol itself that is toxic, but the metabolite – the end product. Depending on the exact amount of methanol in the drink, as well as how much regular alcohol – which acts as an antidote – is present, people may respond differently,' he says. After news of the first two deaths – investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been reported. 6 Measha Rudge, right, with her sister Cheznye, 23, who died in Indonesia in 2013 in similar circumstances 6 Ashley King was 18 when she was blinded after drinking a counterfeit cocktail during a night out in Kuta, Bali, in March 2011 Credit: Instagram The mass deaths, which attracted global headlines, brought back painful memories for Measha Rudge, whose sister Cheznye Emmons, 23, died in Indonesia in 2013 in similar circumstances. 'So many have died' Measha, 38, has been raising awareness about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol through her Save A Life campaign in memory of beautician Cheznye. 'It's heartbreaking that so many have died since Chez,' says Measha, a teacher from Shoebury, Essex. Cheznye was on a six-month trip around Southeast Asia with boyfriend Joe Cook when she drank shop-bought 'gin' – which came in a sealed bottle – in Sumatra. After she became sick and lost her vision, medics diagnosed her with methanol poisoning and put her in an induced coma, but she passed away five days later. 'It was horrendous,' Measha says. 'Chez was my best friend. 'She always had a smile on her face, always tried to make people happy.' It was horrendous, Chez was my best friend. She always had a smile on her face, always tried to make people happy Measha Rudge In late 2013, Measha's dad Brenton travelled to Sumatra with the BBC's Fake Britain and discovered that shops were still selling bootleg gin at a low cost. 'In Indonesia, the alcohol tax is really high, so some locals brew it themselves,' Measha says. 'You would believe the packaging is real and it's not. 'People are just bottling up this crap, and nobody is ever held to account.' In the aftermath of Cheznye's death, Measha and her family liaised with the UK government about an awareness campaign. They produced posters to be shared in NHS clinics for people getting vaccinations before travelling to Southeast Asia, and had warnings added to the FCDO website for countries where consuming counterfeit alcohol is a risk. Counterfeit cocktails But over the years, interest has waned. Measha says most clinics declined to display the posters, and warnings are not prominent enough for tourists. 'You have young people fresh out of school or university who are going to go to Southeast Asia to enjoy themselves. And none of them are thinking they shouldn't take free or cheap drinks. We need to make the risks clear.' This was the case for Ashley King, who was 18 when she went blind after drinking a counterfeit cocktail during a night out in Kuta, Bali, in March 2011. She began feeling 'disoriented and nauseous' the following evening, after taking a flight to New Zealand and arriving at her hostel in Christchurch. The next morning, she noticed the lighting was 'dim' in her room and, soon after, she found herself struggling to breathe. 'Someone from the hostel took me to a clinic. By the time I arrived, I couldn't see the nurse's fingers,' Ashley, now 32, remembers. She was rushed to hospital, where tests showed she had methanol poisoning. 'They told my family to get on the first flight out, because they thought I might not make it,' she says. In denial Ashley awoke the next day in ICU and, two days later, she was moved to a regular ward, but still couldn't see. A few days later, doctors confirmed her optic nerves were dying and her eyesight would not return. 'I started crying,' she recalls. 'I thought my life was over, that I'd never have a career, fall in love or go to university.' Medics asked if she wanted to file a police report, but she declined, thinking there was no point – a decision she now regrets. She was treated in New Zealand for a month before returning to her home in Calgary, Canada. 'I would lie to friends and say I was getting my eyesight back,' she says. 'I refused to use a cane and hated asking for help. 'I was angry, sad and resentful.' Prevention not treatment She spent three years 'in denial', before deciding at 21 to study journalism at university and, later, acting. She eventually landed a job in theatre admin, then won a grant to develop a play about her experience called Static: A Party Girl's Memoir, which she performed last year at a theatre in Calgary. She has now adapted the show into a podcast. 'Methanol poisoning was the most traumatic thing that's happened to me, but I'm proud I've been able to reclaim the narrative,' she says. Ashley had hoped to be 'an anomaly' and is horrified by the recent surge in methanol poisoning incidents. Other cases have included Brit Boxing Day last year after Likewise, in January, 33 people died and another 43 were hospitalised after Since methanol can't be detected by sight, smell or taste, Doctors Without Borders' Fiona Chuah recommends avoiding any home-made alcoholic drinks or those from questionable sources. 'Purchase alcohol from licensed stores, bars and hotels, or other reputable sources, and stick to well-known brands,' she says. 'Always check seals are intact and inspect labels for poor print quality or incorrect spelling. 'Exceptionally low prices can be a red flag.' 6 Brit Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and fiancé Els Arno Quinton, 36, died in Vietnam last year, after drinking limoncello suspected to be laced with methanol Credit: Facebook Four months on from Simone's death, Bethany says she is not holding out hope for justice for her friend. 'I don't have much faith, as the communication from authorities has been poor,' she says. Instead, she is determined to educate others about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol, and has launched a petition calling for the issue to be included in the school curriculum. ''Steer clear, drink beer' is the message that we're pushing – fake spirits can look very convincing in some of the countries where methanol poisoning is a problem,' Bethany explains. 'We need to focus on prevention, rather than treatment. 'I've lost the most important person in my life to methanol poisoning. 'All we can do for her now is to raise awareness and try to save others.' Sign the petition to put the dangers of methanol poisoning on the school curriculum at
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Free booze killed our pal & sister… people are bottling this poison for tourists and we need to flag the warning signs
LIFTING her drink, Bethany Clarke clinked glasses with her best friend Simone White and they each took a swig. The vodka and lemonade, which the girls had been given for free at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, tasted weak, but they assumed it had been watered down. 6 6 The childhood friends, from Orpington, Kent, enjoyed five more freebie drinks during the hostel's happy hour, blissfully unaware that within 24 hours, they would both be critically ill. Nine days later, on November 21 last year, 28-year-old Simone died in hospital. She was one of six tourists to lose their lives following a methanol poisoning. 'It's hard to put into words how horrendous it was,' says Bethany, a podiatrist who now lives in Brisbane. 'It was the worst period of my life. I could not understand how we'd gone from having a few drinks in a bar together, to this." Along with Simone, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19 and from Australia, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, from Denmark, and American James Louis Hutson, 57, also lost their lives. This shocking case is just one of a number of methanol poisoning incidents in popular backpacker destinations, such as Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, in recent months. The issue mainly affects poorer countries, where law enforcement is under-resourced and there are few regulations around food and alcohol standards. In Southeast Asia, there is also an industry of home-brewed alcohol, which can lead to accidental poisonings. Experts have warned that the true scope of the problem is unknown. Fiona Chuah, methanol poisoning initiative team lead at Doctors Without Borders, says: 'Without a comprehensive national and international surveillance and reporting system, the prevalence is likely under reported. 'Many cases go unrecognised, because symptoms – which often appear 12 to 24 hours after ingestion – such as headache, nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances, are often mistaken for hangovers, food poisoning or other illnesses, and this then delays critical treatment.' Bethany and Simone met at primary school and had previously travelled together to countries including Thailand and China, before planning their two-and-a-half-week trip for November 2024. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot They met up in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, before arriving in Vang Vieng in Laos on November 11. They spent the next day 'tubing' – a bar crawl using inflatables along a river – before joining a friend, Daniel*, for free vodka shots at the hostel, which they mixed with Sprite. 'There was a nice vibe,' Bethany recalls. 'We had been drinking in random bars in places like Bali and Thailand before and not seen it as a risk.' After around two hours, the trio left, feeling 'not particularly drunk'. The next morning, they joined a kayaking excursion. 'We all felt a bit off, but fine,' Bethany says. 'It just seemed like a bad hangover.' That night, the trio boarded a minibus to make the two-hour journey to Laos' capital, Vientiane, during which Simone was sick and Bethany fainted. The driver dropped them at a public hospital, where medics wrongly suspected food poisoning or drug use and gave them IV fluids via a drip. Soon after, Simone's condition worsened. The group were transferred to a private hospital where, at around 11.30pm – 26 hours after drinking the shots – tests showed methanol poisoning. 'I was drifting in and out of consciousness, but also trying to advocate for Simone and keep an eye on all our possessions,' Bethany recalls. 'I still hoped it would all be OK. 'I even thought we might be able to carry on with the holiday.' The next day, Bethany and Daniel, whose condition had stabilised, were moved to another ward and told that Simone was sedated but also improving. Bethany contacted her friend's mum Sue, 61, and explained Simone was feeling a bit better. In the meantime, Bethany's worried family offered to travel out to be with her, but she refused. 'I had no idea how long we would be in hospital, or that Simone wouldn't survive,' she says. Later, as Sue was preparing to fly 16 hours from the UK, Bethany had to contact her again, as Simone had deteriorated and needed consent for brain surgery. Sue arrived in Laos just ahead of the operation, but sadly it was unsuccessful. Six days later, her life support was switched off. 'I was in denial. None of us could believe what had happened,' says Bethany, who flew back to the UK with Sue and Daniel that same evening. Simone was repatriated days later, and her funeral was held in December. 'Afterwards, I had to keep talking about what had happened as I tried to understand it. I wondered if it had been me who had picked up the 'bad' drinks and given them to Simone,' says Bethany. 'I'm smaller than her and I have epilepsy, so how did I come out of it OK? 'It was a lot for my family to cope with, too. 'For them, I nearly died as well.' DEADLY HOMEBREW Methanol can affect people differently, depending on the mix of the drink and how an individual metabolises it, explains Dr Knut Erik Hovda, technical consultant at the Methanol Poisoning Institute (MPi), a Doctors Without Borders initiative. 'It is not the methanol itself that is toxic, but the metabolite – the end product. Depending on the exact amount of methanol in the drink, as well as how much regular alcohol – which acts as an antidote – is present, people may respond differently,' he says. After news of the first two deaths – those of Bianca and Australian Holly Bowles – broke, the manager of Nana Backpacker Hostel, Duong Duc Toan, confirmed the girls had drunk free shots there, but denied that his vodka made them sick, insisting it was bought from legitimate sellers. Eight staff members were arrested in November, and as of last month, the hostel remains closed. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been reported. 6 6 The mass deaths, which attracted global headlines, brought back painful memories for Measha Rudge, whose sister Cheznye Emmons, 23, died in Indonesia in 2013 in similar circumstances. 'So many have died' Measha, 38, has been raising awareness about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol through her Save A Life campaign in memory of beautician Cheznye. 'It's heartbreaking that so many have died since Chez,' says Measha, a teacher from Shoebury, Essex. Cheznye was on a six-month trip around Southeast Asia with boyfriend Joe Cook when she drank shop-bought 'gin' – which came in a sealed bottle – in Sumatra. After she became sick and lost her vision, medics diagnosed her with methanol poisoning and put her in an induced coma, but she passed away five days later. 'It was horrendous,' Measha says. 'Chez was my best friend. 'She always had a smile on her face, always tried to make people happy.' In late 2013, Measha's dad Brenton travelled to Sumatra with the BBC's Fake Britain and discovered that shops were still selling bootleg gin at a low cost. 'In Indonesia, the alcohol tax is really high, so some locals brew it themselves,' Measha says. 'You would believe the packaging is real and it's not. 'People are just bottling up this crap, and nobody is ever held to account.' In the aftermath of Cheznye's death, Measha and her family liaised with the UK government about an awareness campaign. They produced posters to be shared in NHS clinics for people getting vaccinations before travelling to Southeast Asia, and had warnings added to the FCDO website for countries where consuming counterfeit alcohol is a risk. Counterfeit cocktails But over the years, interest has waned. Measha says most clinics declined to display the posters, and warnings are not prominent enough for tourists. 'You have young people fresh out of school or university who are going to go to Southeast Asia to enjoy themselves. And none of them are thinking they shouldn't take free or cheap drinks. We need to make the risks clear.' This was the case for Ashley King, who was 18 when she went blind after drinking a counterfeit cocktail during a night out in Kuta, Bali, in March 2011. She began feeling 'disoriented and nauseous' the following evening, after taking a flight to New Zealand and arriving at her hostel in Christchurch. The next morning, she noticed the lighting was 'dim' in her room and, soon after, she found herself struggling to breathe. 'Someone from the hostel took me to a clinic. By the time I arrived, I couldn't see the nurse's fingers,' Ashley, now 32, remembers. She was rushed to hospital, where tests showed she had methanol poisoning. 'They told my family to get on the first flight out, because they thought I might not make it,' she says. In denial Ashley awoke the next day in ICU and, two days later, she was moved to a regular ward, but still couldn't see. A few days later, doctors confirmed her optic nerves were dying and her eyesight would not return. 'I started crying,' she recalls. 'I thought my life was over, that I'd never have a career, fall in love or go to university.' Medics asked if she wanted to file a police report, but she declined, thinking there was no point – a decision she now regrets. She was treated in New Zealand for a month before returning to her home in Calgary, Canada. 'I would lie to friends and say I was getting my eyesight back,' she says. 'I refused to use a cane and hated asking for help. 'I was angry, sad and resentful.' Prevention not treatment She spent three years 'in denial', before deciding at 21 to study journalism at university and, later, acting. She eventually landed a job in theatre admin, then won a grant to develop a play about her experience called Static: A Party Girl's Memoir, which she performed last year at a theatre in Calgary. She has now adapted the show into a podcast. 'Methanol poisoning was the most traumatic thing that's happened to me, but I'm proud I've been able to reclaim the narrative,' she says. Ashley had hoped to be 'an anomaly' and is horrified by the recent surge in methanol poisoning incidents. Other cases have included Brit Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and her South African fiancé Els Arno Quinton, 36, who were found dead in Hoi An, Vietnam, on Boxing Day last year after allegedly drinking methanol-laced limoncello. Likewise, in January, 33 people died and another 43 were hospitalised after methanol poisoning at a holiday hot spot in Istanbul, Turkey. Four people have been arrested. Since methanol can't be detected by sight, smell or taste, Doctors Without Borders' Fiona Chuah recommends avoiding any home-made alcoholic drinks or those from questionable sources. 'Purchase alcohol from licensed stores, bars and hotels, or other reputable sources, and stick to well-known brands,' she says. 'Always check seals are intact and inspect labels for poor print quality or incorrect spelling. 'Exceptionally low prices can be a red flag.' 6 Four months on from Simone's death, Bethany says she is not holding out hope for justice for her friend. 'I don't have much faith, as the communication from authorities has been poor,' she says. Instead, she is determined to educate others about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol, and has launched a petition calling for the issue to be included in the school curriculum. ''Steer clear, drink beer' is the message that we're pushing – fake spirits can look very convincing in some of the countries where methanol poisoning is a problem,' Bethany explains. 'We need to focus on prevention, rather than treatment. 'I've lost the most important person in my life to methanol poisoning. 'All we can do for her now is to raise awareness and try to save others.' Sign the petition to put the dangers of methanol poisoning on the school curriculum at
The Irish Sun
30-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Blow to families after staff who served methanol laced drinks that killed Brit lawyer & 5 other backpackers in Laos FLEE
STAFF members who served a Brit backpacker and five other tourists deadly drinks laced with poison in Laos have sparked outrage by fleeing the country. The cruel twist came after 6 Staff members who served Brit Simone White and five other poison-laced alcohol have fled the country Credit: PA 6 The Nana Backpacker Hostel, in Vang Vieng, Laos, where six backpackers died after drinking tainted alcohol laced with methanol Credit: Enterprise 6 Duong Duc Toan, the manager of Nana Backpackers hostel where the victims were staying According to the Herald Sun, at least two employees who were "detained" following the Tragic Simone was among five other backpackers who also lost their lives after Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19 and from Australia, as well as two young women from All of them were staying at the hostel along with 100 more guests. READ MORE WORLD NEWS After hearing that two of the suspects had fled Laos, Bianca's dad told the Herald Sun: "We want the Australian Government to apply as much pressure as they can to bring justice to all those involved in the methanol poisoning of our girls, the Danish girl and the British girl in Laos." The group died after they consumed vodka and whiskey laced with deadly methanol at the Nana Backpackers hostel in the town of Her mum Most read in The Sun She said she feared Simone would die after being called by the hospital who told her she needed emergency brain surgery. After arriving at Laos hospital Sue was given the devastating ultimatum over whether to leave her daughter on life support or not. Brit lawyer Simone White, 28, dies in 'methanol-laced alcohol poisoning' that left 4 others dead in backpacking hotspot Doctors refused to switch off the machine due to their religion - but told Sue she could do it herself. The distraught mum said she had to take a tube out of her dying daughter's mouth before making the incredibly painful and "traumatic" decision to switch off the machine. Simone's No charges have been made six months after the fatal ordeal, despite Laotian authorities reportedly preparing charges for up to 13 people. The 13 suspects have been accused of violating food and health security, unlawful business operations and the elimination of evidence, according to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. It comes just weeks after the families of Bianca and Holly, who died from suspected methanol poisoning, slammed cops over 6 Laos methanol poison victim, Simone White, with her mum Sue 6 Sue revealed her daughter's final message in an interview alongside Simone's friend Bethany Clarke Credit: 60 Minutes Australia 6 The two teens tragically died just days after the shocking incident. Holly's mother told 60 Minutes: "[The charges are] pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting.' Bianca's furious mum added: 'I think we're pretty furious about it … Food and beverage. "You know, that's like? What is that? We don't even know." The parents also said they had written to Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone 'a million times'. The desperate parents claimed to have even contacted his wife, but still say they have not received a response. Why is methanol so deadly? 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.
9 News
10-05-2025
- Health
- 9 News
Methanol poisoning in Laos killed Bethany's best friend. Now she's calling for change
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A British woman who survived a methanol poisoning in Laos that killed two Australians is pushing for more education on the dangers of bootleg alcohol. Bethany Clarke has returned to Brisbane, grieving the loss of her best friend in the tragedy . CCTV footage captured British best friends Bethany Clarke and Simone White with a group of young travellers laughing and drinking at happy hour at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Laos. CCTV footage captured British best friends Bethany Clarke and Simone White with a group of young travellers laughing and drinking at happy hour at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Laos. (Nine) "We had around five to six vodka shots, which we mixed with Sprite, and I went to bed, I think at about 10.30pm," Clarke told 9News. Within 24 hours, the pair were among at least a dozen to fall critically ill, including two Australian teenagers. "Within 24 hours, she'd gone into respiratory distress, and then that culminated in her having seizures and everything," Clarke said. Bethany and Simone had been friends since childhood. The London-based lawyer even visited Brisbane to see her best friend's newly adopted home in 2023. Now, Bethany is on a mission to educate others on the dangers of methanol. Bethany (right) and Simone (left) had been friends since childhood. (Nine) Doctors without Borders estimates that methanol poisoning accounts for more than 14,000 deaths globally in the last 30 years. The symptoms at first can be similar to those of having too much to drink - nausea, vomiting and stomach pains, but they escalate quickly. It's most prevalent in countries with relaxed liquor laws, where it's sometimes added to alcohol. "If it were in the education system, then we could prevent history from repeating itself as it has done again and again and again," Clarke said. Bethany Clarke is on a mission to educate others on the dangers of methanol. (Nine) Queensland's education minister, John-Paul Langbroek, says students are taught about the dangers of alcohol. "If there needs to be some tweaking about specific topics, for example, this issue of methanol poisoning, which is something that's come up relatively recently, then that's something that we can always look at," he said. Bethany wants Simone's legacy to be saving others. "Simone had so much more to give, so it's that's why I'm doing what I'm doing because I know that she would have done this for me," she said. national Poison Laos Australia Brisbane queensland CONTACT US
