Third person dies after drinking poisoned alcohol – as Australian teens fight for life

A third person has died after drinking poisoned alcohol, while two Australians remain in hospital fighting for their lives.

The US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen, 56, in the popular party town of Vang Vieng in Laos on Thursday morning.

At least two Danish women in their 20s are believed to have died, with at least a dozen people falling ill after the drinks were mixed with methanol and served to hostel guests.

Australian best friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both aged 19 and from Melbourne, remain in critical condition after consuming the drinks during a gap year trip to South East Asia.

The two teenagers had booked a four-night stay at the Nana Backpackers Hostel, where they had been drinking at the bar and playing cards on the night they were poisoned.

Terrifying CCTV footage from inside the hostel shows one of the girls being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorbike driven by a hotel staff member after they failed to check out of their room on time.

They were then rushed to Udon Thani and Bangkok hospitals in neighboring Thailand respectively.

Their parents are now at their bedsides as Mrs Jones’ family reveal their statements I hope that the local police will quickly understand the alleged mass poisoning.

In a video from September, the best friends happily danced together

“Our family has been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support that have come from across Australia,” they said told the Herald Sun.

‘This is every parent’s nightmare and we want to ensure no other family is forced to endure the pain we are going through.

“We hope that the authorities can get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible.”

Mrs Bowles’ father, Shaun Bowles, said his family spent every minute at Holly’s side.

“Right now, our daughter is in intensive care, in critical condition, she is on life support,” he told reporters outside Bangkok Hospital on Wednesday.

‘We would like to thank everyone at home for all the support and love we receive.

‘We’d also like people to appreciate it now, we just need privacy so we can spend as much time with Holly as possible.’

Just days before they got sick, they had happily documented their trip in videos on social media in which they admired jungle views, sang karaoke, rode jet skis and generally had a great time.

The girls, both from Melbourne, became increasingly ill and did not leave their shared room at the Nana Backpackers Hostel for more than 24 hours (pictured)

Bianca Jones (left) and Holly Bowles (right), both 19, had been on the trip of a lifetime in Laos in South East Asia when they accepted free vodka shots at their hostel last week before a night out at the popular tourist town of Vang Vieng

Hostel manager Duong Duc Toan, who served the girls the Lao vodka, claims it was not his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick.

Toan said he purchased the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted he or his staff had not contaminated the alcohol.

He said the shots, a gesture of hospitality, were served to about 100 guests and that the hostel had received no further complaints.

To prove his point, the bartender drank from one of the vodka bottles in use that night to prove it was safe.

Toan said Holly and Bianca were playing cards at the bar from 8pm to 10.30pm and had three drinks each during that time.

He poured them a Lao Pdr Tiger Vodka with 40 percent alcohol and mixed it with ice and Coke Zero.

‘Right now the police [are telling] every hostel, hotel and bar must stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng,” he told the Associated Press.

Laos police have launched an investigation.

The pair graduated last year Mentone Girls’ Grammar and Beaumaris Secondary College.

Both were closely involved the Beaumaris Football Club.

Club chairman Nick Heath said both girls loved the sport and their teammates were ‘struggling’ to come to grips with what had happened to them.

“The Beaumaris Football Club extends its love, best wishes and unconditional support to Holly and Bianca in their time of need,” Mr Heath said in a statement.

‘Our sincere thoughts also go out to their parents Samantha and Shaun Bowles, Michelle and Mark Jones, as well as their extended families and friends.

‘The situation that occurred while both girls were traveling through South East Asia is tragic and distressing.

“Now more than ever, the broader Sharks community needs to lean on each other for both comfort and support.”