VANG VIENG (AP) – A second Australian teenager who fell critically ill after drinking beverage poisoning in Laos has died, according to a family statement sent to Australian media.
Holly Bowles, 19, had been in critical condition in a hospital in Bangkok for days following the poisoning in Laos more than a week ago.
Australian Network 10 read aloud a short statement from the Bowles family, saying, “We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace.”
Her friend, Bianca Jones, also 19, died earlier this week.
A British woman, an American man and two Danish tourists also died, following reports that several people had been sickened in a Laotian town popular with backpackers. Earlier Laotian police have detained the manager and owner of a hostel where two teenage Australian tourists stayed who were poisoned by beverage poisoning.
An officer at Vang Vieng’s Tourism Police office, who refused to give his name, told The Associated Press yesterday that a “number of people” had been detained in the case but that no charges have yet been filed.
Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which was still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed that the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning.
Tourist police offices are common in Southeast Asia and are set up specifically to help with incidents involving tourists and other foreigners.
The United States State Department yesterday issued a health alert for citizens traveling in Laos, warning of “suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of poisoned beverage,” following similar alerts from other countries whose citizens were involved.
Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in town, said a lot of his customers were very worried about the incident. “I think it’s never happened before, so it is hopefully just a one-off incident,” said Farmiloe, who has lived in Vang Vieng for 20 years.
“It’s very sad all around. I’m sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it’s happened.”
