Sixth person dies from poisoned alcohol that killed British lawyer in Laos

A sixth person has died after drinking alcohol poisoned with methanol in Laos.

Holly Bowles was on a ‘dream gap year trip’ with her best friend Bianca Jones when both teenagers became ill after taking the shot on November 12.

She became the sixth person to die in hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, after being on life-support for 10 days.

Bianca was confirmed to have died yesterday after drinking the shot contaminated with methanol.

British lawyer Simone White, two Danish women and an American man have also died.

Holly’s family said: ‘It is with broken hearts and we are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace.

‘As her parents we were always so incredibly proud of everything Holly did. Holly was an amazing big sister to James and she always looked out for him.

‘We would like to thank everyone from back home, in Canada and around the world for the love and support that Holly and our family have received.’

A number of people including a hostel owner have been detained by police after at least 14 people became critically ill.

No charges have yet been made.

Authoritities suspect the victims drank poisoned shots which were contaminated with methanol.

The substance is often used in alcoholic drinks as it is a cheaper counterfeit alternative to ethanol.

Simone, from Kent, was backpacking through the country and staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel and bar when she became ill after taking the shot.

The 28-year-old lawyer was reportedly recovering from the poisoning but was confirmed to have died yesterday.

Two Danish women in their 20s and a 56-year-old American man have also died after drinking the shots.

Ms White’s friend Bethany Clarke warned others on 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.’

Ms Jones and Ms Bowles were on a ‘dream getaway’ gap year trip across south east Asia.

On the night they drank the poison Ms Jones and Ms Bowles left the hostel and travelled to beachfront Jaidee’s Bar and were taken to hospital hours later.

The venue offers free spirits and has a hard copy ‘drug menu’ which offers opium, ecstasy and ketamine.

Locals said the bar has links to the Asian mafia with links to organised crime, The Herald Sun reports.

The bar boasts of being the place to be for ‘drinking, talking, smoking, and smiling but no fighting’.

One Tripadvisor review reads: ‘Ignore bad food reviews, this is a ‘happy cafe’ so don’t come for good food. This place has an excellent ‘happy menu’. This place has some really good stuff’ but another labelled it ‘intense’.

But Ms White is not reported to have been at Jaidee’s Bar.

Penalties for taking and distributing drugs in Laos are harsh, including life sentences and the death penalty.

A number of lao nationals were sentenced to death in 2019.

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