A British backpacker has revealed she fell seriously ill after having two drinks at the same Laos hostel where Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles were left fighting for their lives with methanol poisoning.
The family of Holly, 19, from Melbourne, confirmed she had died in a Bangkok hospital on Friday, surrounded by her loved ones. Her best friend Bianca, also 19, sadly died in another hospital on Thursday.
The British backpacker, who asked to be called Lily, claims she was given two “free vodkas” at Nana Backpackers in Vang Vieng on November 9, two days before Holly and Bianca fell ill.
Lily said bartender Duong Duc Toan served her drinks around 3 p.m. after she joked with him about missing happy hour when he left to go to the backpacker’s “tipsy tubing” activity. It consists of floating in inner tubes down the Nam Song River.
Toan, who has been detained and questioned by local police, has denied that his vodka is contaminated and has said it was made in a factory. He even drank a little when journalists interviewed him.
Methanol is known to be used in homemade alcohol in Southeast Asia. Six tourists have died from methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng in recent days and several more remain in hospital.
Lily said she left the tubing route drunk early because she was so drunk and returned to the shelter. He said three other people in his group of 15 also fell ill.
Throughout that night and the next day, Lily said she became increasingly sicker despite having stopped drinking and credits her boyfriend with saving her life after he insisted she “go to the hospital.”
Bianca Jones’ family confirmed the 19-year-old (pictured) had died after a week in a Bangkok hospital in a heartbreaking statement on Thursday.
Australian teenager Holly Bowles also died after suffering suspected methanol poisoning while on holiday in Laos with her best friend.
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan (pictured) claimed it was not his Tiger Vodka that made tourists sick. He has reportedly been detained by local authorities.
“I thought I was hungover, I spent the day going from my room to the bathroom just throwing up…I had my eyes closed when I walked to the bathroom because I couldn’t see,” Lily said. Newscorp.
Lily said that once at the hospital she had a hard time getting the staff to understand that she wasn’t just drunk because of the language barrier.
He was eventually given intravenous fluids and slowly improved, his heart rate calming down from a dangerously high resting rate of 170 beats per minute.
While she is grateful to have recovered, she said she felt “very sad for Holly, Bianca and their families.”
‘I didn’t speak to them, but the friends I was traveling with had become friends with them (Holly and Bianca). In just a few days they can feel like they’ve known each other for years,” he said.
It comes after Holly’s younger brother James Bowles posted a heartbreaking tribute to his sister on Instagram on Friday night.
“Fly high my beautiful big sister, you will always be in my heart,” he wrote alongside a photo of Holly.
The family issued a statement earlier on Friday after arriving in Thailand more than a week ago to maintain a 24-hour vigil at his bedside.
Kayaking tourists in the party town of Vang Vieng in Laos, where six people died from suspected methanol poisoning.
Staff at Nana Backpackers Hostel have been questioned by police, who demanded to see bottles of liquor served on the night of the poisoning.
CCTV cameras from inside the lodge show Bowles and Jones being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorcycle driven by a hotel worker.
‘It is heartbroken and we are very sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace. “We find solace and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people,” the statement read.
‘Holly was living her best life traveling around Southeast Asia, making new friends and enjoying incredible experiences.
‘As her parents, we were always incredibly proud of everything Holly did. Holly was an amazing big sister to James and always looked out for him.
“We would like to thank everyone at home, in Canada and around the world for the love and support Holly and our family have received.”
Holly and Bianca were heavily involved with Beaumaris Football Club, who posted a tribute to the couple on Saturday, displaying blue and yellow ribbons, the club’s colours, tied to a sign at their stadium at Banksia Reserve.
Holly Bowles (left) and Bianca Jones (right) played for Beaumaris Football Club.
In a video from September, the best friends danced happily together just weeks before their deadly backpacking trip.
“Join in and make Beaumaris Blue & Yellow a loving memory of both girls gone too soon and in support of their grieving parents,” the club wrote on Instagram.
The club held a “private meeting” for players and coaches on Friday night.
Frank’s Cafe, where Ms Bowles worked for more than two years, paid tribute to her co-worker, who they described as a “staple” of the team.
‘Holly was the best of us. “She was sweet, incredibly kind, trustworthy, fun, diligent, hard-working and extremely capable,” the cafe wrote on Instagram.
Believe me when I tell you, I can’t blame you. Finally, to Holly, I’m so grateful you walked through our door with a resume, girl. I will never forget you, friend.