Young women killed in Laos methanol poisoning are identified as death toll rises to six – as heartbreaking photograph of South East Asia trip emerges

Over the past few weeks, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, had been on a trip of a lifetime backpacking across South East Asia.

Photos posted online show the two young Danish women sightseeing in Cambodia and motorcycling around Vietnam as they made new friends and partied into the night. 

But their dream months-long holiday – a rite of passage for many new school leavers – was tragically cut short last week when the two women died after drinking alcoholic beverages laced with methanol in Vang Vieng, Laos. 

The mass poisoning in the popular tourist town has since claimed a total of six lives – including Australians Bianca Jones, 19, and Holly Bowles, 19, British woman Simone White, 28, and American man James Louis Hutson, 57. 

About 11 other foreign nationals remain in hospital fighting for life.

Horrific details have since emerged about the final moments of the Danish girls after it was revealed the pair were vomiting blood for hours after consuming the drinks. 

The disturbing final moments were a world away from the picturesque travel photo they shared days earlier after the pair happily posed with friends while in Vietnam.

The Danish girls, originally from Roskilde, a town of around 53,000 people 35km west of Copenhagen, were avid travellers.

She had been on a trip of a lifetime with her friend Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21 (pictured during their holiday) when the pair were fatally poisoned by methanol 

Last year, they spent time exploring Hungary, France and Italy, before saving up for a big trip around South East Asia this year. 

In September, the pair spent time travelling around Thailand, feeding elephants in Chiang Mai and visiting Ayutthaya historical park. 

They then ventured on to Cambodia, where they explored Hindu-Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat and Kompong Phluk, a floating village, before cycling around Silk Island. 

In October, they journeyed to Vietnam, where they hiked Lang Biang mountain, floated in a canoe down the canals of Hoi An, and motorcycled the winding roads through the mountainous Ha Giang. 

Earlier this month, they made their way to Laos – where they booked into Nanas backpackers in Vang Vieng – the same hostel where many of the sick tourists had been staying, including the two Australians.

Shortly after the poisoning a man who shared a mutual friend with Ms Sorenson and Ms Coyman posted a warning online, urging other travellers to be cautious about their drinks.

‘The past few days I have been busy with a Belgian friend looking for two girls he travelled with,’ the man wrote.

‘For more than 72 hours, no contact could be made while they had agreed to meet in Vang Vieng.

‘The strange thing was that their last message was that they had both been vomiting blood for 13 hours… They have both since died.’

The women are pictured in Vietnam a few weeks ago, with friends they made while travelling around South East Asia. Ms Sorensen is standing on the far left, while Ms Coyman is standing second from the right 

Photos posted online in recent weeks show the girls having the time of their lives as they explored Vietnam (pictured), Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos

According to local police reports obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald, Ms Sorenson and Ms Coyman drank at the hostel before going to local bars on the evening of November 12.

They arrived back around midnight but spent the entire next day in their room, before they were discovered about 6pm lying on their bathroom floor unconscious.

They were taken to Vang Vieng Hospital in a coma before being transported to a hospital in the capital of Vientiane. They were reportedly declared dead at about 3.30am on the 14th.  

Like the young Danish girls, Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, both from Melbourne, were on a gap year holiday of a lifetime when they fell sick while staying at Nana Backpackers on November 12.

Staff became concerned after they failed to check out on November 13 and arranged to take the pair to hospital after they ‘calmly’ asked for assistance.

CCTV from inside the hostel shows one of the women being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorbike being driven by a hotel staff worker.

The two women were reportedly staying in Nana Backpacker Hostel when workers found them unwell in their rooms after they were late to check out. Pictured is the hostel

Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan (pictured), has claimed it wasn’t his Tiger Vodka that made the tourists sick

Both women were taken to hospitals in Thailand. Ms Jones died on Thursday, and Ms Bowles the following day. 

Ms White, a lawyer who had worked with the global law firm Squire Patton Bogg, White was from Orpington, in south-east London, was among a group of up to six British nationals who fell sick last week after partying in Vang Vieng.

Her death was confirmed on Thursday shortly after Ms Jones’. 

Meanwhile, Mr Hutson, who arrived in Vang Vieng on October 20, was found unconscious in his hotel room on November 13, lying next to four empty bottles of vodka and two empty bottles of beer.

He was taken to a local hospital, but declared dead upon arrival.  

Authorities in Laos on Friday detained the manager and owner of the hostel, Duong Duc Toan, for questioning, but no charges have been laid. 

Nana Backpackers offers free shots to guests over a two hour period every night, however, Mr Toan has told media his alcohol was not responsible .

He said more than 100 guests were given free shots of Lao vodka on the night of the poisoning but only a portion of the guests had fallen ill. 

The hostel has since closed amid the police investigation.

Melbourne teen Bianca Jones (pictured) died in hospital on Thursday

Australian teenager Holly Bowles has died after suffering alleged methanol poisoning during a holiday in Laos with her best friend

Simone White, 28, from the UK, is one of six tourists to have died after falling ill last week 

Meanwhile, tributes have begun to pour in online for the victims of the mass poisoning.

One school friend of Ms Sorensen and Ms Coyman said the pair were ‘so f***ing young.’ 

Ms Jones’ family said she was surrounded by love in her final moments.

‘We are comforted by the knowledge that her incredible spirit touched so many lives during her time with us,’ they said.

‘We want to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from across Australia.

‘The kindness shown to our family during this unimaginable time has been truly humbling.’

Confirming their daughter’s death on Friday, Ms Bowles family said they ‘find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly bought so much joy and happiness to so many people.’

‘Holly was living her best life travelling through South East Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences,’ they said in a statement.

‘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.’