A third person has died after drinking poisoned alcohol, while two Australians continue to fight for their lives in hospital.
The US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen, 56, on Thursday morning in the popular partisan town of Vang Vieng in Laos.
At least two Danish women in their 20s are understood to have died, and at least a dozen people fell ill after drinks were laced with methanol and served to hostel guests.
Australian best friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19 and from Melbourne, remain in critical condition after consuming the drinks during a gap year trip to Southeast Asia.
The two teenagers had booked a four-night stay at Nana Backpackers Hostel, where they had been drinking and playing cards in the bar on the night they were poisoned.
Terrifying CCTV from inside the hostel shows one of the girls being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorbike driven by a hotel worker after failing to leave their rooms in time.
They were then rushed to the hospital in Udon Thani and Bangkok, in neighboring Thailand, respectively.
Her parents are now at their bedsides, and Ms. Jones’ family reveals her We hope that local police quickly get to the bottom of the alleged mass poisoning.
Australian best friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones are still fighting for their lives after consuming the drinks.
In a video from September, the best friends danced happily together.
“Our family has been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support that have come from all over Australia,” they said. told the Herald Sun.
‘This is every parent’s nightmare and we want to ensure that no other family is forced to endure the heartbreak we are going through.
“We hope that the authorities can get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible.”
Bowles’ father, Shaun Bowles, said his family spent every possible minute by Holly’s side.
“Right now our daughter remains in an intensive care unit, in critical condition, on life support,” he told reporters outside the Bangkok hospital on Wednesday.
‘We would just like to thank everyone at home for all the support and love we are receiving.
“We would also like people to appreciate it at the moment, we just need privacy so we can spend as much time with Holly as possible.”
Just days before falling ill, they had been happily documenting their trip in social media videos of themselves taking in jungle views, singing karaoke, riding jet skis, and generally having a great time.
The girls, both from Melbourne, became increasingly ill and did not leave their shared room at Nana Backpackers Hostel (pictured) for more than 24 hours.
Bianca Jones (left) and Holly Bowles (right), both 19, had been on the trip of a lifetime in Laos, Southeast Asia, when they accepted free shots of vodka at their hostel before a night out in the Popular tourist town of Vang Vieng last week.
Hostel manager Duong Duc Toan, who served the girls the Laotian vodka, claimed that it was not his Tiger Vodka that made the girls sick.
Toan said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and insisted that neither he nor his staff had contaminated it.
He said the drinks, a gesture of hospitality, were served to about 100 guests and the lodge had not received any other complaints.
To prove his point, the bartender drank from one of the vodka bottles that were in use that night to prove that it was safe.
Toan said Holly and Bianca were in the bar playing cards from 8pm to 10.30pm and had three drinks each during that time.
He served them a Tiger vodka from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic containing 40 percent alcohol and mixed it with ice and Coca-Cola Zero.
“Right now the police (are telling) all hostels, hotels and bars to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng,” he told the Associated Press.
Lao police have launched an investigation.
Last year, the couple graduated from Mentone Girls’ Grammar and Beaumaris Secondary College.
Both were very involved in Beaumaris football club.
Club president Nick Heath said both girls loved the sport and their teammates were “struggling” to come to terms with what had happened to them.
“The Beaumaris Football Club extends its love, best wishes and unwavering support to Holly and Bianca in their time of need,” Heath said in a statement.
‘Our sincere thoughts are also with his parents Samantha and Shaun Bowles, Michelle and Mark Jones, as well as his family and friends.
‘The situation that occurred while both girls were traveling in Southeast Asia is tragic and distressing.
“Now more than ever, the shark community at large needs to lean on each other for comfort and support.”