The manager and owner of a hostel in Laos where tourists who were fatally poisoned by methanol were staying have been detained by police.
It comes as Holly Bowles, from Australia, was confirmed as the sixth death linked to tainted shots at the popular tourist spot of Vang Vieng.
The 19-year-old had been in a critical condition in hospital in Bangkok for days following the poisoning in Laos more than a week ago.
Australian broadcaster Network 10 read a short statement from the Bowles family, saying: "We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace."
Simone White, from Orpington in south-east London, died on Thursday. Her parents on Friday told of their devastation as they paid tribute to their “beautiful, kind and loving daughter”.
An officer at Vang Vieng’s Tourism Police office told The Associated Press on Friday that a “number of people” had been detained in the case but that no charges have been filed.
Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which was still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed that the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning.
The US State Department has issued a health alert for citizens traveling in Laos, warning of “suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks,” following similar alerts from other countries whose citizens were involved.
Earlier, Bianca Jones, 19, from Australia, was confirmed to have died while the US State Department said an American had died. Two Danish women aged 19 and 20 also died last week, Danish authorities said.
Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. It is also a byproduct of poorly distilled homebrew liquor, and could have found its way into bar drinks inadvertently.
Neil Farmiloe, a New Zealander who owns the Kiwi Kitchen restaurant in town, said a lot of his customers were very worried about the incident.
“I think it’s never happened before, so it is hopefully just a one-off incident,” said Farmiloe, who has lived in Vang Vieng for 20 years. “It’s very sad all around. I’m sure nobody intended to cause injury, but it’s happened.”
It has been more than a week now since the two 19-year-old Australian women fell ill on November 13 following a night out drinking with a group.
They failed to check out from the Nana Backpacker Hostel as planned and were found sick in their room and then taken to Thailand for emergency treatment. One, Bianca Jones, died this week while her friend, Holly Bowles, remains in critical care.
Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died by “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system.”
Duong Duc Toan, the manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, told the AP the day before he was detained that the two women had joined other guests for free shots of Laotian vodka on the night in question, before heading elsewhere and returning in the early hours of the morning.
Britain’s Foreign Office said 28-year-old Ms White had also died of suspected of methanol poisoning in Laos.
New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said one of its citizens was sickened in Laos and was a possible victim of methanol poisoning.
Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.
