ScandAsia can now reveal the identities of the two Danish women who tragically died in Laos on 13 November 2024. The two were Anne-Sofie Ørkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sørensen, 21.
The two young women, originally from Roskilde, Denmark, enjoyed a journey across Southeast Asia when they consumed alcohol contaminated with methanol in Vang Vieng, Laos. In a series of alarming text messages sent to a friend, they revealed they had been violently vomiting blood for more than 13 hours before they fell silent.
They planned to meet a Belgian friend
The tragedy unfolded at Nana Backpackers in Vang Vieng, Laos, where the two women had arranged to reunite with a Belgian traveler. After receiving no further contact from them for over three days, their friend initiated a search, only to discover the devastating news of their passing.
This incident is part of a larger tragedy that has claimed at least six lives, including two Australian teenagers, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, while 11 more foreign nationals remain hospitalized in critical condition. The Laos government has recently acknowledged the situation, which has raised serious concerns about the safety of tourists in the region.
Six tourists died
The suspected methanol poisoning event has linked six deaths so far, including two Australians, a 28-year-old British woman, Simone White, an American man, James Louis Hutson, 57, and the two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21.
Authorities believe all affected tourists consumed drinks laced with methanol at Nana Backpacker hostel.
According to a Laotian police document, responders found the American victim dead in his hostel room next to two empty bottles of vodka, while rescuers discovered the two Danish women unconscious on their bathroom floor.
Operated 9 days after the death
Authorities alleged in the report that the Nana Backpacker Hostel continued to operate for nine days following the discovery of Hutson.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding this mass poisoning, with many calling for stricter regulations to ensure the safety of travelers in popular tourist destinations. The tragic loss of Coyman and Sorensen serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking in seemingly innocuous situations while traveling. danish died Laos
Read more: Belgian friend to danish girls that died in Laos shares his story & Anne-Sofie’s parents warn others about Vang Vieng, Laos
[…] In 2024, six foreign tourists – including two Danish women – died in Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng after suspected methanol poisoning, a case that drew global attention and raised serious questions about safety standards. […]
[…] In November 2024, 20-year-old Anne-Sofie Ørkild Coyman and 21-year-old Freja Vennervald Sørensen died after suspected methanol poisoning at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vientiane. […]