Multiple staff from a backpacker hostel at the centre of a suspected mass poisoning in Laos, which claimed the lives of six foreign tourists, have been arrested by police.
Eight men aged 23-47, from the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng are in custody following arrests by police on Monday, a local news site reported.
All of those detained by Vang Vieng police are believed to be Vietnamese nationals.
Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both aged 19, were among six foreign tourists who died last week after falling ill while staying at the hostel.
The best friends were evacuated to separate hospitals in Thailand on November 13.
Ms Jones died surrounded by loved ones in Udon Thani hospital last Thursday before Ms Bowles died in nearby Bangkok Hospital the next day.
Their bodies were onboard a repatriation flight home to Australia on Tuesday night, with their parents also on the same flight.
Two young Danish women, a British lawyer and an American man in his 50s also died from the contaminated drinks.
Local reports suggest another 12 foreign tourists were hospitalised after drinking at the Nana Backpacker Hostel.
Melbourne teenager Bianca Jones (pictured) died after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos
Eight staff from the Nana Backpacker Hostel, where Melbourne teenager Holly Bowles (above) died after drinking a contaminated beverage, were arrested
Early testing indicated methanol was present in beer and spirits at the venue.
Nana Backpackers has since been shut down while the investigation into the deaths continues.
Those arrested included a ‘Mr Yeungvanhoun, 34, Mr Hongieng Manhoung, 38, Mr Bouyvandat 35, Mr Jikkauk, 23, Mr Yeungduktoun 47, Mr Hngiengsuieng, 28, Guang Chung 44, along with an eighth man, 42, Lao Phatthana News reported.
Those arrested included general staff and managers.
There is no suggestion that those detained are responsible for the tourists’ deaths.
Despite six deaths being linked to methanol poisoning, police only referred to three deaths in their official statement,
It did not include the Australian teenagers or the British victim, lawyer, Simone White, 28.
‘The initial cause of the death of the number of tourists is expected because of drinking poisonous drinks and other problems caused three deaths,’ the report said.
‘Investigation Unit is still in the process of co-ordinating with ministries, departments, agencies and relevant stakeholders to collect data and collect samples to find out unidentified information on deaths of foreign tourists this time to be clarified quickly on the basis of inspection, verifying the results of scientific research.’
Early testing indicated methanol was present in beer and spirits served at the Nana Backpacker Hostel (pictured)
News of the arrest emerged as allegations collected in a survey by a grieving backpacker who was friends with the two deceased Danish women – Anne-Sofie Coyman, 20, and Freja Sorensen, 21, – claimed staff failed to help the pair when they became ill.
A woman who claimed she’d helped the women when they began showing signs of methanol poisoning said the hostel refused to call an ambulance for them, even when one began having a seizure.
Instead, a female worker allegedly began massaging the seizing woman’s toes and feet while saying, ‘I’m saving her, don’t worry’, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Staff also allegedly claimed Ms Coyman and Ms Sorensen were suffering panic attacks, rather than fatal poisoning.
The woman’s story contradicts the account shared by state-owned media that the Danish women were found by staff on the floor of their bathroom.
It comes three days after the Laos Government broke its silence on the suspected mass poisoning.
Ms Jones (left) died surrounded by loved ones in Udon Thani hospital on Thursday and Ms Bowles (right) died in nearby Bangkok Hospital on Friday
On Saturday, authorities vowed to ‘bring the perpetrators to justice’ and said they were ‘deeply saddened’ by the tragedy.
‘The government of the Lao PDR is profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vangvieng District, Vientiane Province and expresses its sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased,’ it said.
‘The government of the Lao PDR has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law.
‘The government of the Lao PDR reaffirms that it always attaches the importance and pays attention to the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists.’
A woman who claimed she helped the two deceased Danish women alleged staff at the hostel (pictured) refused to call them an ambulance
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
