Methanol-Contaminated Alcohol Claims 6 Lives At Hostel In Laos; 2 Indians Among 12 Arrested

Laos: The law enforcement agencies in Laos have arrested 12 persons, including two Indians after methanol-contaminated alcohol claimed the lives of six foreign tourists at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng. According to reports, the victims had consumed poisoned Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whiskey, prompting an investigation that led to the closure of the factory producing the drinks. It is being claimed that a few travellers, who earlier visited the hostel, had attempted to alert other visitors by their reviews, but the hostel allegedly deleted all of those negative and bad reviews.

The two Indians, who were arrested in Laos, are aged 24 and 30. However, no other details regarding the two were available.

Reports suggested that among the six victims, who were best friends from Melbourne, Bianca Jones (19) and Holly Bowles (19), fell ill on November 13 and later died in separate Thai hospitals.

Other victims included Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman (20), and Frela Vennervald Sorensen (21), British lawyer Simone White (28) and 57-year-old American James Louis Hutson.

The six deaths have prompted Laos authorities to ban the sale and consumption of Tiger-branded spirits nationwide.

The contaminated drink was traced to a factory located on the outskirts of Vientiane, which has since been shut down.

Officials from the Ministry of Health's Department of Food and Drugs confirmed the factory’s production will remain banned until it meets safety and quality standards, according to Great Britain News.

Travellers had earlier attempted to alert others about methanol-laced drinks at Nana Backpackers Hostel through Google reviews.

"Do not go here!! They have methanol in their drinks and me and 3 others have been hospitalised because of this," one reviewer wrote.

The hostel dismissed these warnings as "slander" before the reviews were removed from Google.

Authorities have not yet filed charges against any of the 12 individuals arrested but said that the investigation is ongoing, according to a foreign media report.