Mother of dead British woman poisoned in Laos has urgent message for travellers: 'If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody'
Sixth tourist dies after suspected mass poisoning event in Laos
GB News
The mother of a British woman who died in Laos from a suspected methanol poisoning has issued an important message for travellers.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, fell ill last month after her drink was allegedly spiked with the drug whilst she was staying in the backpacker town of Vang Vieng.
She was one of six tourists to die from a suspected mass “methanol-laced alcohol poisoning”.
The toxic chemical is sometimes used as a cheaper alternative to ethanol but can cause severe poisoning or death with just as little as 25 milliletres.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, died last month
Simone was with two childhood friends – one who lives in Australia – who all fell ill following a night out after drinking shots from Nana Backpackers Hostel.
Her devastated mother, Sue White, urged those travelling abroad to “please be careful when it comes to drinks”.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, she said: “Simone was a university-educated, highly intelligent person.
“If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody.”
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Simone White's mum urged those travelling abroad to 'please be careful when it comes to drinks'
FacebookThe mother travelled to Laos in an agonising 16-hour journey after she received a call that Simone was in critical condition and needed surgery.
“I knew when I had that phone call — I don’t know what it was, call it a mother’s intuition — but I knew that she was going to die,” she said.
When she arrived at the hospital, after a “terrible, terrible journey”, Simone was just being wheeled away for the operation.
It later became clear that her daughter's brain function was gone, and she died on Thursday, November 21.
Australian teeangers Bianca Jones (left) also died Holly Bowles (right) also died in the incident
FACEBOOKWhite’s father, Neil, 58, told the paper: “I hope that the police investigation brings those responsible to justice, both for Simone and all the other victims. We hope this raises awareness to all future travellers about the dangers of consuming local alcohol.”
Laotian police have detained the manager and owner of the hostel in Vang Vieng where the six guests were thought to be poisoned.
Simone's friend Bethany Clarke was the first to raise the alarm on the Laos Backpacking Facebook group.
She wrote: “Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars.
"Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”
Backpackers in Laos say they have stopped drinking spirits since the incident.
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