A British man who lost his sight after methanol poisoning in Laos has described seeing a ‘kaleidoscopic light’ before going blind. Calum Macdonald, 23, was among tourists affected by the mass poisoning in Vang Vieng last year.
Six people died, including British lawyer Simone White, 28, and two Danish women. The group had consumed free alcoholic drinks at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which were thought to be tainted with methanol.
Mr Macdonald noticed vision problems the day after drinking, when he arrived in Vietnam. He 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.’
He initially thought it was food poisoning, but realised something was wrong when he asked his friends to turn on lights that were already on. He now advises tourists to avoid free spirits in Southeast Asia and stick to beer.
Mr Macdonald is working with families of other British victims to urge the Foreign Office to provide clearer warnings about methanol risks. He said: ‘I felt, given that I was lucky enough to survive, I have a bit of a responsibility to try and prevent the same thing from happening to other people.’
