Simone White, a British lawyer, has died following a suspected mass poisoning while on holiday in Vang Vieng, Laos. Her death is one of several linked to alcohol or counterfeit alcohol contaminated with methanol. Law firm Squire Patton Boggs mourned the loss of Ms White, who had been with the company for five years. A colleague said she was “the unofficial social secretary” of their friendship group, encouraging everyone around her “to live life to the fullest”.
Ms White is among six people known to have died so far in relation to the incident. The others are Australian Holly Bowles, 19, Bianca Jones, also 19, an unnamed US man, plus two Danish women, aged 19 and 20. All are thought to have consumed alcohol containing methanol.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office released a statement yesterday that it is providing support for Ms White’s family and other Britons affected by the spate of illnesses and deaths related to the suspected poisoning. Methanol, which can be fatal in even small amounts, is sometimes deliberately added to counterfeit alcoholic drinks, which may be indistinguishable from legitimate products.
Vang Vieng is a well-known backpacker haven and, in this year when foreign travel has been severely curtailed, a popular destination for those able to travel. Laos has reopened to some tourism from overseas. But, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the economic benefits of tourism offer a lifeline to holiday destinations, albeit at times with significant health risks
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