British woman among dead in Laos methanol poisoning

Simone White is fifth backpacker to die after hostel drinks

- ALEX ROSS

A British backpacker has died after being taken to hospital with suspected methanol poisoning after allegedly being served free drinks in Laos.

Simone White, a solicitor from Orpington in Kent, is the fifth tourist to die following the incident in the Vang Vieng area. She and her friend Bethany Clarke, also from Orpington, were both taken to hospital last week. It has since emerged that four other people – an Australian, an American and two Danes – have died following the incident in the backpacking hotspot.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being taken to a hospital in neighbouring Thailand. A friend of the teenager, Holly Bowles, was “fighting her life”, Mr Albaese also told parliament. With a Kiwi also among those unwell, New Zealand’s foreign ministry said there had been “several cases of suspected methanol poisoning after consuming alcoholic drinks”.