The government must do more to heighten awareness of the risk of methanol poisoning while abroad: that is the message from family and friends of British victims who unwittingly consumed drinks containing the deadly substance.
Six backpackers died in Laos in November 2024 after drinking free shots of spirits tainted with methanol at a hostel in Vang Vieng in Laos. Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from London, lost her life along with two Australians, two Danes and an American. Her travelling companion, Bethany Clarke, is campaigning for greater awareness of the dangers.
