Laos hostel staff detained after backpackers’ deaths from methanol poisoning

Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven staff members of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.

Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died following what media said was a night out in the town on November 12.

Police have detained the 34-year-old manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel and seven other employees for interrogation, the Laos Post said on Tuesday.

Local media reported that all those detained were Vietnamese nationals.

Vang Vieng has been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker trail since Laos’ secretive communist rulers opened the country to tourism decades ago.

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Six tourists die after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos party town

The town was once synonymous with alcohol and drug-fuelled jungle parties for backpackers, but has since re-branded as an ecotourism destination.