British lawyer Simone White, 28, was one of six tourists who tragically died following a methanol poisoning Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, last November
The mum of a British lawyer who tragically died in Laos after drinking methanol-laced shots has revealed the last heartbreaking text she was sent by her daughter.
Simone White, 28, from London, had been drinking with her friends at the Nana Backpackers Hostel when she started to feel unwell. The group had downed free vodka shots before she was rushed to hospital.
Her friends survived but tragically the Newcastle University graduate died on November 21 at the private Kasemrad International Hospital in the capital Vientiane. Her heartbroken mum Sue flew 16 hours from Kent to Laos to be with her daughter after learning she would need emergency brain surgery before being placed on life support for three days.
As the mum arrived at the hospital, she was given the devastating ultimatum over whether to keep her daughter on life support as doctors left the decision with her. Sue had to take a tube out of daughter’s mouth before making the “traumatic” decision to turn off the machine. An inquest into her death last month confirmed Simone tragically died from a bleed on the brain.
And now three months from the life-changing event, Sue has disclosed the final text message she was sent by her daughter just a day before she downed the meathnol-laced shots.
Speaking on Australia ‘s 60 Minutes news show, Sue said the message from Simone read: “I’m having the best time, you know, it’s an absolutely fantastic holiday.” That’s the last message I got from her, and that was on the Tuesday, probably early evening Laos time – just before this incident occurred. She’d messaged me as it was all happening but that was the final message I got from her.”
Simone’s friend Bethany Clarke, from Orpington, was also rushed to hospital after they, and several others, were offered free whisky and vodka shots which had been tainted with methanol.
She told the programme: “We went up to the bar and I watched him pour them out from a glass bottle with a vodka label on it. You just physically can’t move. It’s like you are more or less paralysed. You can still walk, but everything is much, much, much more difficult than it would be ordinarily, but yeah, mainly fatigue, nausea, I fainted.”
Simone died in the incident, along with 19-year-old Australians Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Sorensen, 21, from Denmark and American James Hutson, 57.
Bethany warned others last year to “avoid” any free shots offered following the harrowing experience, she added: “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.”
The Foreign Office’s website warns would-be travellers to the region of reports of drink and food spiking. It reads: “Be cautious about accepting drinks from strangers at bars, clubs, restaurants and parties.”
It added of methanol poisoning: “There have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol. Methanol has been used in the manufacture of counterfeit replicas of well-known alcohol brands or illegal local spirits, like vodka.
“You should take care if offered, particularly for free, or when buying spirit-based drinks. If labels, smell or taste seem wrong then do not drink. Affected drinks may include local spirits, including local rice or palm liquor, spirit-based mixed drinks, such as cocktails, counterfeit brand-name bottled alcohol in shops or behind the bar
“Laos authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to concerns about them being a risk to health. You should avoid consuming these products.”
