Woman speaks out after almost dying from methanol poisoning in Laos that killed two Aussie teens

A British tourist has revealed she almost died from methanol poisoning after drinking alcohol in the same hostel where two Australian teenagers were tragically killed.

Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died this month after a night out in the party town of Vang Viang, a small village north of the Laos capital Vientiane.

Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, who were staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel, were rushed to various hospitals in Thailand on November 13 after asking staff for help.

Ms Jones died at Udon Thani Hospital on Thursday and Ms Bowles died at nearby Bangkok Hospital on Friday.

Four foreign tourists from Denmark, Britain and the US also died, while a further fourteen tourists who had been drinking in the area suffered methanol poisoning within days of each other.

Lucy Davison, who was on holiday in Laos with her boyfriend, said she drank alcohol at the same hostel and developed life-threatening symptoms within 15 hours.

“I was one of the British nationals who suffered methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng in Laos,” Lucy said in a video shared on social media on Sunday.

‘I just wouldn’t want anyone to go through what me and my partner have had to go through because it has literally been the worst two weeks of our lives.’

Ms Davison explained that it is common for hostels in South East Asia to offer their customers an hour of free alcoholic drinks, including beer, spirits and cocktails.

She added that Nana Backpackers Hostel offered guests a free bottle of Tiger vodka or whiskey during happy hour.

“We had a big table with about ten people and we all shared what was given to us.”

Despite having only a small amount of vodka, Ms Davison developed severe methanol poisoning within 15 hours of consuming the alcohol.

‘It wasn’t until around 3pm that my symptoms started to appear, which were extreme fatigue; I slept practically all day,” Ms Davison said.

Ms Davison suffered methanol poisoning after drinking locally produced vodka from the Nana Backpackers Hostel (pictured) – the same hostel where two Australian teenagers who died of methanol poisoning stayed

‘I had to vomit violently. I was really clear. I had visual impairment, like I could barely see, it looked like bright lights, and a high fever.”

Ms Davison’s boyfriend rushed her to Kasemrad International Hospital in Vientiane, where she was placed in intensive care for 24 hours.

She spent the next four days recovering in hospital, with Ms Davison claiming the doctors and nurses ‘literally saved my life’.

Ms Davison warned travelers to South East Asia to be extremely careful when drinking alcohol, as methanol only takes one drink to kill.

“If you travel to South East Asia, please stick to bottled beer and cup wine,” Ms Davison said.

The Lao government has vowed to bring to justice the perpetrators of the suspected mass poisoning in Vang Viang after six people, including Bianca Jones (pictured), died.

Ms Jones was traveling with her best friend Holly Bowles (pictured) when the pair suffered methanol poisoning after drinking at Nana Backpackers Hostel and Jaidee Bar on November 13.

‘If you want alcohol that is a cocktail or a spirit, make sure you know 100 percent what it is before you drink it.

‘We are sensible people, it happened to us. You never think it will happen to you. So be vigilant about what you put into your body.

‘I’m so lucky that I’m doing well. I haven’t fully recovered yet, but I’m getting stronger every day. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.”

Nana Backpackers staff denied adding anything to the shots of Tiger Vodka given away for free as part of the hostel’s happy hour deal between 8pm and 10pm.

Tiger brand whiskey and vodka are also being given away for free in other bars, and reports of methanol poisoning are emerging in several premises.

A bottle of alcohol was seen at the hostel where the two Australian girls were staying.

Nana Backpackers Hostel owner Duong Duc Toan was reportedly among “a number of people” arrested by police for questioning, but no charges have yet been laid.

Staff at the hostel, which was still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed that the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning.

But staff previously vehemently denied that the shots at their bar were responsible for the mass poisoning.

Mr Toan said 100 free shots had been given out to guests, including Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, the night before and he had received no other complaints.

But he denied his vodka made the girls sick, insisting alcohol was purchased from legitimate sellers and even drank from a bottle to “prove it was safe.”

Nana Backpackers Hostel owner Duong Duc Toan (pictured) has denied that the alcohol served at the bar was contaminated with methanol

Methanol is a colorless liquid that tastes like alcohol and is a byproduct of illegal liquor. Consuming even a small amount can lead to blindness, multiple organ failure and death.

Other victims of the suspected mass poisoning include a 57-year-old American man James Louis Hutson, two young women from Denmark, Ms Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Ms Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and 38-year-old British lawyer Simone White.

On Saturday, the Lao government pledged to “bring the perpetrators to justice” in its first public statement since the international incident.

Officials said they were “deeply saddened” and extended their “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims.

“The government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is deeply saddened by the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vangvieng District, Vientiane Province, and extends its sincere condolences and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased,” the statement said.

“The Lao PDR government has conducted investigations to determine the causes of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law.

“The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic reaffirms that it always attaches importance and attention to the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists.”