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

EXCLUSIVE

In recent weeks, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, had been on the trip of a lifetime backpacking through Southeast Asia.

Photos posted online show the two young Danish women visiting Cambodia and riding motorcycles through Vietnam while making new friends and partying late into the night.

But their months-long dream vacation – a rite of passage for many new school leavers – was tragically cut short last week when the two women died after drinking alcoholic drinks 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 Simone White, 28, and American man James Louis Hutson, 57.

About eleven other foreigners are still in hospital and fighting for their lives.

The Danish girls, originally from Roskilde, a city of about 53,000 inhabitants 35 kilometers west of Copenhagen, were avid travelers.

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

In September, the pair traveled through Thailand, feeding elephants in Chiang Mai and visiting Ayutthaya Historical Park.

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

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

In October they traveled to Vietnam, where they hiked Lang Biang Mountain, floated through the canals of Hoi An in a canoe, and rode motorcycles along the winding roads through mountainous Ha Giang.

Earlier this month they went to Laos – where they booked Nanas backpackers in Vang Vieng – the same hostel where many of the sick tourists were 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 travelers to be careful with their drinks.

“In recent days I and a Belgian friend have been busy looking for two girls he was traveling with,” the man wrote.

“No contact could be made for more than 72 hours even though 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 are both dead now.”

The women were pictured a few weeks ago in Vietnam, with friends they made while traveling through Southeast Asia. Ms. Sorensen is standing on the far left, while Ms. Coyman is 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 HeraldMs Sorenson and Ms Coyman drank at the hostel before heading to local bars on the evening of November 12.

They returned around midnight but spent the entire next day in their room before being discovered unconscious on the bathroom floor around 6 p.m.

They were taken to Vang Vieng Hospital in a coma before being transported to a hospital in the capital Vientiane. They were reportedly pronounced dead at around 3:30 am on the 14th.

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

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 help.

CCTV footage from the hostel shows one of the women being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorcycle driven by a hotel staff member.

The two women were reportedly staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel when employees found them unwell in their rooms after checking out late. The photo shows the hostel

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

Both women were taken to hospitals in Thailand. Mrs. Jones died on Thursday and Mrs. Bowles the next day.

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

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

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 pronounced dead on arrival.

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

Nana Backpackers offers guests free shots for a two-hour period every evening, but 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 some of the guests had become ill.

The hostel has since been closed due to the police investigation.

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

Australian teenager Holly Bowles has died after suspected methanol poisoning while on holiday in Laos with her best friend

Simone White, 28, from Britain, is one of six tourists who died after falling ill last week

Meanwhile, online tributes are pouring in for the victims of the mass poisoning.

A school friend of Ms Sorensen and Ms Coyman said the pair were “so damn young”.

Mrs 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 would like to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love and prayers we have received from across Australia.

“The kindness shown to our family during this unimaginable time is truly humbling.”

The Bowles family confirmed their daughter’s death on Friday, saying they “find solace and comfort in knowing that Holly bought so much joy and happiness for so many people.”

“Holly lived her best life as she traveled through Southeast Asia, meeting new friends and having incredible experiences,” they said in a statement.

‘As her parents, we were always so incredibly proud of everything Holly did. Holly was a great big sister to James and she always looked out for him.”