Laos methanol poisonings latest: Tributes paid to British lawyer with ‘bright future’ as sixth death confirmed
Tributes have been paid to a “talented” British lawyer who is among six tourists to have died in Laos from suspected alcohol poisoning.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, was confirmed dead on Thursday after becoming unwell in the backpacker hotspot Vang Vieng alongside a number of other young travellers.
Her law firm Squire Patton Boggs said: “Simone was a talented colleague with a bright future ahead of her and someone who epitomised (our firm’s) values.
An Australian teenager has become the sixth tourist to die, with Holly Bowles, 19, passing away more than a week after falling ill at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which previously said it had given out free shots to around 100 guests on 12 November.
Her friend Bianca Jones, also 19, has also been confirmed dead alongside an American and two Danes, with authorities suspecting that the tourists had consumed alcohol laced with the deadly substance methanol.
Thai police have detained the owner and the manager of Nana Backpacker Hostel, while an officer at Vang Vieng’s Tourism Police office said a “number of people” had been taken in for questioning.
Earlier this week, the manager of Nana Backpacker Hostel had told the media that the drinks given were from certified distributor and were not tainted by him or his staff.
