A British tourist being treated after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos has died, according to UK officials.

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, fell ill after reportedly drinking “free shots” from a local bar in Vang Vieng – a resort popular with backpackers.

Four people had already died following the suspected poisonings – an Australian named Bianca Jones, 19, from Melbourne, as well as two Danish women in their 20s and a 56-year-old US citizen.

They are believed to have consumed drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes added to mixed drinks as a cheaper alternative to alcohol, but can cause severe poisoning or death.

“We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities,” the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.

The FCDO said it was also providing consular assistance to other British nationals hospitalised in the incident, as well as their families.

Explained:
What is methanol, how does it end up in alcoholic drinks, and how can you avoid it?

Ms White was an associate lawyer specialising in intellectual property and technology and worked at the London office of the American law firm Squire Patton Boggs.

Her work involved general commercial matters, and contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law issues, according to the firm’s website.

Bethany Clarke, a friend of Ms White and a healthcare worker, also from Orpington, said a group of six people had been taken to hospital after drinking from the same bar.

She posted on a Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travellers after the group fell ill.

“Urgent – please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars,” she wrote.

“Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”

‘Every parent’s very worst fear’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed to his country’s parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated to a Thai hospital from Vang Vieng.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died of “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system”.

Her friend Holly Bowles, also 19, remains in hospital in neighbouring Thailand, Mr Albanese said.

Australian officials said “several foreign nationals” had also been victims of methanol poisoning

“This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” Mr Albanese said.

“We also take this moment to say that we’re thinking of Bianca’s friend Holly Bowles who is fighting for her life.”

‘Her incredible spirit touched so many lives’

In a statement to the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper, Ms Jones’ family paid tribute to her.

“She was surrounded by love, and we are comforted by the knowledge that her incredible spirit touched so many lives during her time with us,” the family wrote.

“We want to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from across Australia.”

The US State Department confirmed that an American had also died in Vang Vieng, and Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said two of its citizens had also died in “the incident in Laos”.

Neither would comment directly on a link to methanol poisoning.

The second named storm of the season will bring snow, rain and strong winds to parts of the UK this weekend, according to the Met Office.

Hundreds of schools are closed as the storm, named Bert, sweeps in, bringing freezing temperatures and snow over the weekend.

Wind gusts of up to 70mph are expected in some areas as well as the potential of flooding and travel disruption.

Heavy snowfall could bring further disruption to parts of the country while heavy rain is also likely over the weekend, the Met Office added.

Parts of southwest England including Plymouth and Exeter are under a yellow warning for snow until 3pm today, with 5-10cm predicted in higher parts of Dartmoor.

Wintry showers will continue in different parts of the UK throughout Thursday and Friday, amid warnings of snow and ice for much of Scotland, northern England and parts of western and eastern England and Wales between midday today and 10am tomorrow.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “A northerly airflow will continue to feed snow showers into Scotland over the next few days, with this reaching lower levels at times and bringing the potential for some travel disruption.

“Overnight temperatures will drop below zero fairly widely over the next few days, which has resulted in some ice warnings, with further warnings likely through this week.”

More than 114 schools are shut in the Highland Council area today due to snow, including Inverness Royal Academy where pupils were told their prelim exams planned for the day would be rescheduled.

Almost 40 schools in Aberdeenshire are also shut while many others had delayed openings, and in Moray around 12 were closed and others opened late.

It comes after more than 100 schools or nurseries were closed in Scotland yesterday because of the weather.

South of the border, 89 schools were shut in Devon today, 18 in Dorset and 60 in Cornwall, while in Wales around 10 were closed in Conwy, 18 in Denbighshire and two in Wrexham.

As Storm Bert hits the UK, areas where warnings are in place in the south and west are likely to be impacted by heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Between 50-75 mm of rainfall is expected there on the weekend, while Wales and southwest England could see more than 100mm.

There is already a yellow warning for heavy snow on Saturday followed by a “rapid thaw” and rain on Saturday night in northeast and northwest England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and much of Scotland.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Dan Holley, said: “Storm Bert marks a shift to much milder air and wintry hazards will gradually diminish through the weekend, but heavy snowfall is expected across parts of northern England and Scotland for a time on Saturday, especially over higher ground, and warnings are in place.”

Candela, the Swedish electric boat maker known for its hydrofoil recreational boats and commercial ferries, is grabbing headlines yet again. This time the company is announcing a new C-series funding round and the first P-12 electric ferry headed to the US.

The P-12 is the company’s first operational hydrofoil electric ferry, and it builds upon the success of the C-7 and C-8 recreational speedboats.

All three employ Candela’s sophisticated computer-controlled hydrofoil technology that allows the boats to quite literally fly several feet above the water. Traveling at 25 knots (30 mph), the P-12 is the fastest electric ferry in operation, all while using a fraction of the same energy.

The hydrofoil flight results in a much smoother ride and dramatically improved efficiency. The fast-charging electric boats can thus carry much smaller batteries, making them lighter and more cost-effective. They can then quickly recharge at the dock in a matter of minutes.

We recently saw the first P-12 enter service as a commercial ferry in Stockholm, and now Lake Tahoe is getting into the fly electric ferry business as well.

The P12 hydrofoiling ferry will reduce travel times for Tahoe locals and visitors, providing a much-needed north-south connection across the lake, while also helping to cut emissions and mitigate road sediment that threatens the lake’s famous cobalt-blue clarity.

Lake Tahoe boasts over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts year-round, which has often led to severe road, especially during the winter months. The implementation of a fast and efficient new electric ferry will help avoid long car lines from snow-induced road closures, as well as grid-lock traffic during the summer months of popular biking and hiking destinations.

A local company, FlyTahoe, will offer a new 30-minute cross-lake ferry service, cutting the travel time in half compared to the daily 20,000 car trips along the same route.

In the winter, that same trip can often take over two hours due to heavy snowfall and road limitations. FlyTahoe will create a vital link to the 14 world-class ski resorts encircling the lake, making it an ideal option for both tourists and locals.

“It’s ironic that while millions, myself included, drive around Lake Tahoe to admire its beauty, the road sediment we generate contributes to the largest threat to the lake’s famous cobalt blue clarity. Our service will provide a faster transport than cars or buses, while keeping Tahoe blue,” says Ryan Meinzer, Founder & CEO of FlyTahoe.

Simultaneously, Candela is also celebrating another major milestone back home in Sweden, announcing an additional US $14M raised in its Series C round. That puts Candela’s total secured funding in 2024 at over $40 million. The investment will enable Candela to meet the soaring demand for its groundbreaking zero-emission vessels as it ramps up production of its various models now in service around the world.

“This is the dawn of a zero-emission revival in waterborne transportation,” says Gustav Hasselskog, Candela’s founder and CEO.

The new $14 million investment is led by SEB Private Equity, a global Private Equity investor, with additional participation of existing investors EQT Ventures and KanDela AB.

“This investment, made during a challenging time for many companies, is a testament to Candela’s technology and its unique ability to solve the pressing issue of decarbonizing transport,” added Hasselskog.