Reports have surfaced regarding the incident in Laos, where two Australian teenagers fell ill after a night out in the city of Vang Vieng.
The two, named as Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, were staying at the Nana Backpackers. According to the hostel’s staff, they consumed their drinks at the establishment before going out.
The two reportedly spent the night in their room before calling the staff to tell them that they couldn’t breathe.
According to the Herald Sun, one of the hostel’s workers, who identified himself as the nickname “Pikachu,” said that the girls came into the reception area after they got sick.
The girls reportedly told the staff that they couldn’t breathe.
Toan Vanng, the hostel’s bartender, said that the staff members tried to help the customers, but they were only able to bring one of them to the hospital due to their limited resources. He denied that the incident was caused by poisoning.
The paper reported that Toan Vanng poured a vodka and coke Zero, the same drinks that the two girls had been drinking.
He claims that the vodka was purchased by a distributor, and the staff didn’t add any water to it.
The two girls, who are from Melbourne’s beach towns, reportedly visited the hostel’s bar at around 8 pm to have a couple of drinks before heading out for a party at around 10:30 pm.
It’s believed that 14 people fell ill due to the same batch of drinks. Two individuals from Sweden reportedly died.
Both of the victims, Ms. Jones and Ms. Bowles, have been sent to Thailand to receive medical treatment. Their families reportedly told the Herald Sun that they were in a state of shock.
In a statement, the family of Bianca Jones stated that she and Holly were on a dream vacation. They were so excited to travel through Asia and were looking forward to experiencing so much more.
They asked that their privacy be respected at this time. Ms. Jones and Ms. Bowles, who went to Mentone Girls’ Grammar and Beaumaris, respectively, graduated from these schools.
The Australian Embassy reportedly inspected the establishment. One of the backpackers who claimed that he received a discount for his stay said that the alcohol was commonly spiked with methanol, which is cheaper than regular alcohol.