Teen dies from suspected methanol poisoning

The Perth teenager who was poisoned after drinking a methanol laced cocktail in Indonesia has died

Liam Davies has died from suspected methanol poisoning from a drink he consumed in Lombok, Indonesia. Picture: Supplied. Source: PerthNow

A WA teenager suffering methanol poisoning from a drink he consumed near Bali has died in a Perth hospital.

Liam Davies, 19, had been celebrating with mates on New Year's Day when he became sick after drinking an alcoholic beverage at a bar on the holiday island of Lombok.

He was taken to a local hospital for treatment and later brought to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

This morning, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed the teenager had passed away.

It's believed he was surrounded by his family and close mates at the time.

Friends of Liam's have taken to Facebook in the past few hours to write tributes about him.

"Rest in peace Liam we're all gonna miss you bud," wrote one friend.

"RIP LIAM!!! You lived a good life. It was good to know you. May you rest in peace and live on in our hearts...you were taken too quickly from this world and we'll see each other in the afterlife," wrote a young woman.

"So sad to hear the tragic death of our friend Liam Davies. Heart goes out to his family and friends," wrote another friend.

On Friday, Liam's family released a statement, describing him as a "fun loving and active 19-year-old, who has represented his country in lacrosse and has dreams of travelling abroad to see the world."

In their statement his family urged other Australians to be careful while travelling overseas.

"We would like to make people aware of the risks associated with consuming locally brewed drinks where you cannot be certain of the quality," the statement said.

Methanol is a toxic chemical that is sometimes added to cheap drinks to make them more alcoholic.

In the past few days since news of tragedy broke hundreds of readers have written to PerthNow, either wishing Liam well and warning others of the risks inexperienced young travellers face, or defending or criticising the holiday island.

News of Liam's tragic death comes following a string of similar incidents in and around Bali in the past 18 months.

Last year, prominent Perth rugby player Michael Denton died in Bali and an autopsy later ruled that the cause of his death was methanol poisoning.

Last month, a Sydney teenager was blinded after drinking a cocktail laced with methanol during schoolies celebrations in Bali.

And in June, Swedish backpacker Swede Johan Lundin, 28, was poisoned by a mojito laced with methanol on an island off Lombok.

His death prompted his fiance to warn Australians about the dangers of drink spiking in Indonesia.

Volunteer group Red Frogs, which provided support to school leavers during celebrations in Bali, said it knew of at least five leavers who were treated for suspected methanol poisoning last year, but suspects the real number was much higher.

The effects of methanol poisoning can range from vomiting, headaches and gastric pain, to comas, liver failure and, in extreme cases, death.

Blindness is also common - it can last a few hours or lead to permanent damage.

The chairman of the WA-based Indonesia Institute, Ross Taylor, said that this latest methanol-poisoning incident was 'a tragedy'.

However, he added that toxic drinks such as 'Arak' wine were making their way onto the market in Bali and it was not surprising that these incidents were on the increase.
 
"Arak wine is the drink of poor people in Indonesia and the Middle East," Mr Taylor said.

"It is traditionally produced in remote villages where there are no laws or restrictions on what ingredients are used, including the use of methanol and other sometimes lethal spirits and chemicals."

Mr Taylor said holiday makers wanting alcohol-based drinks should consume Bintang beer, which is cheap and safe in moderation, or wine from authorized producers.

He urged people to avoid spirit-based drinks and to also to be extremely careful of having their drinks 'spiked' at nightclubs and bars.

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