Detentions follow tainted alcohol deaths in Laos

The deaths of six foreign holidaymakers in Laos have focused the world's media attention on the dangers of illicit alcohol, but the reality is that mass poisonings of this type are all too common.

All the fatalities in the latest incident – two Australians, a UK citizen, two Danes, and an American – were among people staying at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng, who are thought to have been exposed to methanol, a chemical that often turns up in bootleg or counterfeit alcohol.

Media reports suggest that all six had also visited a local bar called Jaidee before they were taken ill. So far, there have been few comments from police in Laos about their investigation and the likely source of the poisoning but, in the last few hours, it has emerged that the manager and seven staff at the hostel have been detained.

The Laos government has expressed "sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased."

Methanol can end up in alcohol as a contaminant of the distillation process but is sometimes added deliberately to disguise poor-quality liquor.

Ingesting methanol can lead to damage to the eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system and gastrointestinal tracts, with high levels of exposure leading to coma and death, mainly as a result of CNS damage.

Major incidents involving methanol poisoning include a case earlier this year in Iran, which claimed at least 26 lives. There was another mass poisoning in Iran last year – which has a major issue with bootleg alcohol – while others in recent years have occurred in India, Mexico, Morocco, Costa Rica, Russia, Turkiye and Peru.