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 employees, aged 23 to 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 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.
Ms Jones and Ms Bowles were evacuated to separate hospital in Thailand on November 13.
Ms Jones died surrounded by loved ones in Udon Thani hospital on Thursday and Ms Bowles died in nearby Bangkok Hospital on Friday.
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.
The news comes three days after the Laos Government broke its silence on the suspected mass poisoning.
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.’
Allegations collected in a survey by a 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 of them began having a seizure.
Early testing indicated methanol was present in beer and spirits served at the Nana Backpacker Hostel (pictured)
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
A woman who claimed she helped the two deceased Danish women alleged staff at the hostel (pictured) refused to call them an ambulance
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.
More to come.
