British lawyer, 28, dies in Laos after 'drinking alcohol laced with methanol'

A British lawyer has tragically died after allegedly being served alcohol laced with methanol in Laos. Simone White, from Orpington, Kent, was among several individuals rushed to hospital following the incident in the popular backpacker destination of Vang Vieng last week.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed they were providing support to the 28-year-old’s family in the wake of her death. Ms White was a legal professional with the international law firm Squire Patton Boggs, specialising in general commercial matters, as well as contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law issues, as per the firm’s website.

The FCDO also stated it was offering consular assistance to other British nationals hospitalised in the incident, along with their families. Four others are currently known to have died, including an Australian teenager, an American and two Danish tourists.

READ MORE: Cheryl supported by Girls Aloud stars as she attends Liam Payne's funeral

READ MORE: Blyth TikTok user jailed for hateful rant in which he spoke about burning down Newcastle mosques

Many of the victims were guests at the Nana Backpacker Hostel – staff reported that guests had fallen ill after failing to check out on November 13. The FCDO said it was liaising with local authorities regarding the British nationals affected.

It is believed those poisoned in the incident were served drinks contaminated with methanol, a substance sometimes used by unscrupulous bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but which can cause severe poisoning or even death.

Professor Alastair Hay, Professor (Emeritus) of Environmental Toxicology at the University of Leeds, has highlighted the dangers associated with methanol poisoning, stating: "The risk from methanol is twofold."

He explained, "Methanol breaks down in the body to formaldehyde and then formic acid. The formic acid upsets the acid/base balance in blood and the major consequence is initially the effect on someone’s breathing."

He added that there are impacts on various organs, including the kidneys, and noted, "There are effects on many other organs the kidney being one. The disturbance of acid/base balance and disrupted breathing will eventually affect the heart and it will stop functioning."

Furthermore, he warned: "Formaldehyde attacks nerves, particularly the optic nerve and blindness is a potential risk."

Discussing treatment options, Professor Hay said, "Depending on the severity of poisoning, treatment may require dialysis to remove methanol from blood whilst at the same time keeping someone mildly drunk by administering ethanol.

"If the poisoning is not too severe, and only blood tests will determine this, ethanol alone may suffice."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese informed parliament about the tragic case of 19-year-old Bianca Jones, who passed away after being transferred from Vang Vieng for medical care in a Thai hospital. Her companion, Holly Bowles, also 19, is currently receiving treatment in Thailand.

Australia has acknowledged that "several foreign nationals" have fallen ill due to methanol poisoning.

The US State Department has confirmed the death of an American citizen, while Denmark’s Foreign Ministry also reported the deaths of two Danish nationals in "the incident in Laos".

However, neither department would directly comment on a connection to the methanol poisoning that resulted in Ms Jones's death.

Thai authorities have confirmed that Ms Jones died due to "brain swelling caused by high levels of methanol found in her system". Laos, one of south-east Asia’s poorest nations and a popular tourist destination, is landlocked.

Vang Vieng, known for its party scene and adventure sports, is particularly popular among backpackers.