I saw a kaleidoscopic light after drinking free shots in Laos – then I went blind

A British backpacker left blind after drinking tainted alcohol which killed six fellow tourists in Laos has spoken out about his ordeal for the first time.

Calum Macdonald, 23, survived a mass poisoning at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the southeast Asian country’s popular destination of Vang Vieng last November.

Guests were offered free shots of vodka and whiskey, which Calum accepted and mixed with soft drinks.

He continued his travels with his group the following day and made it to the border before noticing strange effects to his vision.

The 23-year-old told BBC Breakfast: ‘I remember having this sort of kaleidoscopic, blinding light in my eyes and to the point at which I couldn’t see anything.

‘[We agreed] it was strange but we thought it was food poisoning and the light I was seeing was some kind of sensitivity.’

It was only once his group reached a hotel across the border in Vietnam that he realised he had gone blind.

He added: ‘We were sitting in the hotel room, my friends and I, and I said to them: “Why are we sitting in the dark? Someone should turn a light on.” The lights were already on.’

The booze was contaminated with methanol, a toxic alcohol used in products like antifreeze and varnish which can be lethal if consumed.

The substance can be created accidentally in the making of bootleg alcohol, which many poor countries such as Laos have struggled to stamp out.

British lawyer Simone White, 28, died after sharing six shots with a friend at the hostel bar.

Two Danish women aged 20 and 21, two 19-year-old Australians and a 57-year-old American also died.

Calum is working with the families of three other Brits who died from methanol poisoning in South East Asia to raise awareness.

They have demanded the Foreign Office to issue clearer warnings about the dangers.

They include the family of Simone, whose friend and travel companion Bethany Clarke has spearheaded a petition to have British schools teach pupils about the dangers of methanol in PHSE.

Bethany, 28, told Metro in April about the ‘devastating’ ordeal of surviving the poisoning while her friend died.

The Nana hostel reopened in June with a new name and new branding, according to reports.

How to avoid methanol poisoning

During the illegal production of alcohol, methanol can accidentally contaminate the product due to improper fermentation or distillation.

It is also sometimes added intentionally to increase the alcohol content without using more expensive ethanol.

While bootleg alcohol may have an unusual smell or appearance, it may well be completely indistinguishable from the drink you’re expecting.

An easy way to lower your chances of consuming methanol is to refuse any alcohol drinks from unlabelled bottles or containers.

You should also avoid any free drinks which you didn’t see get poured yourself.

However even alcohol poured from a labelled bottle you recognise may pose a risk as unscrupulous venues may have replaced the original liquid with cheaper alternatives.

In order to avoid this risk, do not drink anything which didn’t come from a sealed bottle – this could mean sticking to beers and ready-made beverages such as seltzers.

You should also do your best to avoid venues which do not seem reputable, and only buy spirits from licensed shops.

Is there any treatment for methanol poisoning?

When consumed, methanol is highly toxic. The body breaks it down into formaldehyde and formic acid, which are poisonous.

These substances can cause serious harm, including damage to the optic nerve, leading to blindness, as well as metabolic acidosis, which disrupts the body’s pH balance.

High levels of methanol in the body can cause confusion, seizures, organ failure, and even death.

Even small amounts can be deadly if not treated quickly. This makes methanol-laced bootleg alcohol extremely dangerous.

Methanol poisoning can be treated but getting help quickly is crucial to avoiding death or long-term effects.

Many hospitals have drug treatments that can stop the methanol being metabolised, such as the antidote fomepizole which is injected into a vein.

The drug may be administered alone or alongside dialysis, which cleans the blood.

In some cases ethanol – the type of alcohol present in properly-made drinks – is administered directly into the bloodstream to outcompete the metabolism of methanol.

Instead of being metabolised, the methanol leaves the body through other barriers such as the lungs and kidneys.

This treatment is only safe in a hospital setting where medics can administer other drugs to slow or stop ‘regular’ alcohol poisoning – drinking as much ethanol in a private setting would carry a severe risk of death.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.