5 tourists died from drinking contaminated alcohol in Laos

• Five tourists have died due to suspected possession of methanol in Laos.

• The victims are an American, two Danes, a Briton and an Australian.

• The US State Department said it was monitoring the situation and providing diplomatic assistance.

Many tourists have died from drinking contaminated alcohol in Vang Vieng, Laos.

An American, two Danes, a Brit, and an Australian died of suspected methanol poisoning, according to various reports.

A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed to Business Insider on Thursday that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng and that the agency was monitoring the situation and providing diplomatic assistance.

A spokesman for the British Foreign Office told CNN, “We are supporting the family of the British woman who died in Laos, and are in contact with local authorities.”

Denmark's foreign ministry told CNN that two Danes had died but did not provide further details.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old Australian tourist named Bianca Jones had died.

“This is every parent's worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” Albanese said.

He also said he was praying for Jones' friend Holly Bowles, who is in hospital in Thailand “fighting for her life.”

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote that local authorities in Laos were investigating the case and trying to find out where the contaminated alcohol came from.

Ingestion of methanol, a type of alcohol used in cleaning products, adhesives, and paint, can lead to nausea, vomiting, and heart and respiratory failure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vang Vieng, a small town in central Laos, is a popular tourist destination. It is surrounded by mountains, caves and rivers.

Representatives of the British Foreign Office, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Danish Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Laos Embassy in Singapore did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment, sent outside business hours.

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