Laos police detain 8 Vietnamese hostel staff over backpackers’ methanol poisoning deaths
Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven workers of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.
Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died following what media said was a night out in the town on Nov. 12.
Police have detained the 34-year-old manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel and seven other employees for interrogation, the Laos Post said on Nov. 26.
Local media reported that all those detained are Vietnamese nationals.
Vang Vieng has been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail since Laos’ rulers opened the country to tourism decades ago.
The town was once synonymous with alcohol and drug-fueled jungle parties for backpackers but has since been re-branded as an eco-tourism destination.
Alcohol tainted with methanol is suspected to be the cause of the deaths.
Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is added to liquor to increase its potency but can cause blindness, liver damage and death.
On their travel advice websites, the British and Australian authorities have warned their citizens to beware of methanol poisoning while consuming alcohol in Laos.
On Nov. 23, the Laos government expressed « sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased », adding that an investigation was under way to find the cause of the incident.
Agence France Presse – November 26, 2024