Norwegian Woman And American Woman Die Of Unknown Causes on Koh Phi Phi

[harrymand]

I dont have permission to write this in the news topic, but I just se this in the Norwegian news.

One 22 year old female and her friend was on their way from study in Australia to Norway. They had a stop over in Thailand and wisiting Phi-Phi island. There they was taken to hospital on the mainland, where one of the died.The other woman survive. The police assumed poisoning.

[sriracha john]

I dont have permission to write this in the news topic, but I just se this in the Norwegian news.

One 22 year old female and her friend was on their way from study in Australia to Norway. They had a stop over in Thailand and wisiting Phi-Phi island. There they was taken to hospital on the mainland, where one of the died.The other woman survive. The police assumed poisoning.

Do you have any online link to the story?

[atelko]

sad story...

do you know any further infos due to what the poisoning happened?

[harrymand]

sad story...

do you know any further infos due to what the poisoning happened?

http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=562583

You may use Google transl.?

[sriracha john]

Norwegian women (22) dead in Thailand

A 22-year-old woman is dead after she was poisoned on vacation Phi Phi in Thailand. Her friend is also sick.

It is not known how the girls should have been poisoned, the ABC-News

The woman is a student in Australia and were on their way home via Thailand. Her friend who was with has been sick but will be on the improvement path. - We can confirm that a 22-year-old Norwegian woman died at a hospital in Thailand to Monday night, and that the local police come to investigate the death, "says Anders Correct , pressevakt secretary to ABC News. According to ABC News should be common with the police investigation of deaths of young people. Embassy in Thailand now assists the bereaved, and a representative of the seaman's church is going to go down to Phi Phi to support the deceased study girlfriend. By Bjarne Bringeland

04.05.09 21:52

Online translation of:

http://www.stavangeravisen.com/art.asp?id=48485

Edited May 5, 2009 by sriracha john

[Jimjim]

Poisoned? Food poisoning? Insect, spider bite? Pretty nasty, whatever it was, goodness. Pretty sad for the family.

[harrycallahan]

An interesting case.

If food poisoning why only those two? You'd think the food would be from a restaraunt and others would be similarly effected.

Could also be drug related, a bad batch of pills or something, or OD. Usually the symptoms wouldn't be quite the same as poisoning though.

Drinks spiked?

[Mario2008]

Let's not speculate about what happend. Loved ones of the deseased may read this in their search for more information.

[Jimjim]

Well it'd be nice to find out some real info, hope some is forthcoming in the next few days.

[Scott]

My condolences to the friends and family of the deceased girl. I also hope the other victim makes a speedy and full recovery and is able to assist the police in finding out what happened.

I hope someone keeps us informed about the outcome. Sounds rather important.

[kamelot]

second person dead from travel to phi phi,possibly the same hotel

andamantimes.com

[Scott]

Any updates?

[Cowboyshoe]

Turns out Andaman Times is reporting TWO dead, from the SAME guesthouse.

Andaman Times

Does anyone know the name of the guesthouse - It might be worth posting it. I have my doubts that the Police or the Guest House owner are going to great lengths to inform new or existing guests about possible dangers.

[harrycallahan]

Legionnaire's disease is a possibility too.

Says they upgraded to AC room and stayed there during the day, her more than him. She got sick so went back to the room, and got worse. He was out but still got a bit sick. They did eat the same food earlier.

It's a serious matter, the bungalows should be evacuated, which they could be we don't know.

Edited May 5, 2009 by harrycallahan

[andy778]

Doctors and police says food-poisoning is most likely. The American woman did not eat the same food as the Norwegians (maybe not even same restaurant) The American had hamburger, the Norwegians pasta/spaghetti

[harrymand]

Legionnaire's disease is a possibility too.

Says they upgraded to AC room and stayed there during the day, her more than him. She got sick so went back to the room, and got worse. He was out but still got a bit sick. They did eat the same food earlier.

It's a serious matter, the bungalows should be evacuated, which they could be we don't know.

This cross my mind also. We had some cases in a factory and a hotel in my home country a while ago.

I guess there is no rutine cleaning of the AC units in most of the hotels (or homes)! in Thailand. I hope that the Police will not focus only at food poisoning, but seal this bungalow of.

[snuggzzz]

It really needs a comprehensive forensic examination, details of movements, witnesses etc., Swabs need to be taken from Kitchens, including fridges/freezers and food preperation areas, it also need rooms sealed until, both again have had samples taken and air-cons examined.

My sincere condolences to their families, I hope that a full enquiry is held.

[moobie]

The mother of the American lady who passed away has Posted on The Lonely Planet - Thailand branch.

I do not know if I'm allowed to but here is that link - /www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1769166&tstart=0

After reading the various articles I must say "carbon monoxide poisoning" may be a potential cause of these fatalities.

Apologies for my last comment to any relatives which may read this and my condolences to the loved ones concerned.

[Absingjul]

Video just posted by Jill's brother:

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-254369

[Junglejumbo]

carbon monoxide is unlikely to come from a domestic electric air-conditioning system.

Severe radiation poisoning could also be a cause and in which case Phi Phi could be a very dangerous place. Radiation should be ruled out ASAP. Severe radiation can kill immediately 50% of the time according what I read on the web, whilst others will develop cancer later.

Russia has developed radiation pills. Probably other countries too. Its not inconceivable that they might have been testing them out on innocent back packers. However, did all the victims have the same room? Is this a fact or guess work?

[sbk]

While the article quoting the fiance of the American woman says that he thinks they may have been staying in the same place, the following post by her brother states that they rented the room out to the two Norwegian girls the next day.

Is this confirmed?

[sriracha john]

For the benefit of those with slow internet, the earlier linked article:

UPDATE: Poisoning suspected after two tourists dies at Phi Phi Islands

Two female tourists have died after suddenly falling ill during a stay at Phi Phi Islands the last few days. Both may have been staying in the same bungalows at the islands.

A 22 year old woman from Norway died on Monday after falling ill at Phi Phi Island over the weekend. This happened a few hours after an American woman suddenly fell ill and died on her way to the hospital.

The cause of death has still not been confirmed, but doctors suspect severe food poisoning. Her friend also became sick over the weekend, but is recovering at a Phuket hospital.

The Norwegian woman was transported to a hospital in Krabi on Monday, but later died. According to the Foreign Ministry in Oslo has Thai police started an investigation in the death, as is common practice.

Another female tourist died on Sunday. Jill St. Onge from Seattle was staying at the same guest house as the Norwegian.

- My fiancée and I were on Phi Phi island as well this last week when she fell ill and passed away. It seems to be poison death as well, says Ryan Kells to Andaman Times.

The American couple has been holidaying in South East Asia for three months and were supposed to return home next week to the West Coast of the US.

According to her fiancé she suddenly fell ill.

- Jill and I had been on Phi Phi island for 6 days in a beach bungalow. We decided to move to an air conditioned room. We got the room at 11 am. Since it was our first with A/C we decided to hang out in the room all day. Jill was an excellent sleeper, says Ryan.

He ventured outside to do some errands and came back an hour later. Jill was still sleeping. They decided they were hungry and went to get a couple of burgers.

- The meat isn’t the most ordinary, but we had eaten them about four times already. I brought them back to the room. We sat and ate them there together. When we went out about an hour later is when Jill said she was felling ill. We stayed out a bit, says Ryan.

Jill was still feeling bad, so she said that she was going to go back to the room to lay down. Jill told Ryan he could hang our with friends they had met earlier.

- I stayed out for about 2 hours. When I went back to the room, Jill was vomiting. She still thought it might be the food. We lay together for about two more hours. That is when I started vomiting. I thought something was wrong.

He went outside and found a cart and wheeled Jill to the hospital.

- On our way to the hospital she started turning really blue and moaning loudly.

She died shortly after.

According to Ryan they did not go swimming that day and it seems like jelly fish poisoning is an unlikely cause.

- I don’t think the Thai authorities have done anything; the authorities just wanted to get her body off the island, says Ryan,

Ryan Kells believe there is a connection between the two cases.

- I would have to imagine these cases have to be related. I even think we were staying in the same guest house as the Norwegian woman. There has to be something done, says the grieving fiancée.

Ryan’s father and mother arrived overnight from the US and is staying in Bangkok.

- This must be brought to the attention of international news agencies to help stimulate an aggressive response by the Thailand authorities, says Mr. John Kells to Andaman Times.

The Norwegian and American embassies are following the case closely.

Thai police confirms they Norwegians and the Americans were staying at the same resort.

The remains of the American woman will be transported from Phuket to Bangkok today for an autopsy. A cremation is scheduled to take place in Thailand. The friend of the Norwegian woman is expected to recover fully and will return to Norway shortly.

- Andaman Times / 2009-05-05

====================================================================

and the text accompanying the video by the deceased American's brother:

Tourist are dieing in Koh Phi Phi Don Thailand.

My sister along with a Norwegian woman have died while staying in a beach cabin in Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand. The deaths were fast and are being linked to poisoning.

My sister died on May 2nd (our time) while staying in her room. The place they stayed at rented the room out the next day to the two Norwegians. One of them died and the other is in Phuket in an ICU.

We set up a blog to post any info we get because my sister was loved by hundreds up and down the west coast and information is coming in slow.

The link is .....................

The only write up on these deaths I can find on the Internet was found using a Google Blog search. Here is the link to the article.

http://www.andamantimes.com/news/22-year-o...ies-at-phi-phi/

My sisters fiance is in Bangkok now with his family waiting for the autopsy and cremation to bring her back.

I'm so Sorry,

Ryan.

Edited May 7, 2009 by LivinginKata
Personal blog link removed

[balo]

I have translated the latest news from the Norwegian newspaper VG . (Sorry about any misspellings)

http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=562700

Within a few hours a Norwegian woman (22) and an American woman (26)died during a stay at Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. Both the police and doctors believe they are poisoned by food.

The 22- year old friend of the Norwegian was sick and sent to the hospital on the mainland. She survived and are recovering well.

The two Norwegian girls both studied in Sydney Australia, and was only in Thailand for a short holiday before they were to return to Norway. The Norwegian girl died Monday night after being acutely ill.

The Thai newspaper Andaman Times announces today that an American female tourist died suddenly on Sunday - hours before the two women were sick.

We also know that a Norwegian (46) died in Phi Phi Islands for about a month ago. He was on honeymoon when he was suddenly ill. Also he may have been poisoned.

The Krabi police told VG that they suspected the two women died of poisoning through food. They have received this information from the doctors who examined them.

- The Norwegian women were out on a restaurant and had dinner just before they got sick. The woman who died had pasta, while her friend had spaghetti, " police investigator Phusunpiae told VG .

The tourist police told VG that the 26 year old American woman had a hamburger just before she got sick.

The police can neither deny or confirm whether the three ate at the same restaurant, but confirms that both the American couple and the Norwegians lived in the same hotel.

- The only thing I currently know is that the two Norwegian girls ate at the restaurant on the island, and that the American woman also did , "said the police investigator.

The two Norwegian women, according to the police went to a disco after the dinner. The whole night they throw up, and was sent to the hospital on the mainland. Shortly after the 22-year-old died.

This is similar to what happened the hours before the American woman died.

- She throw up and finally lost consciousness. When her fiancé came to the clinic, she was already dead, "says spokesperson for the tourist police in Krabi.

To Andaman Times the fiancé of the 26-year-old said she had symptoms of a mild foodpoisening, and that she returned to the room to lay down. When he came back after eating lunch and surfing the Internet, the woman was in such bad shape that he knew that something was seriously wrong. He had to carry her to the clinic, but before they arrived she was dead.

The dead women are transported to a hospital in Bangkok for the autopsy, and police are now waiting for the autopsy report to determine a cause of the death.

The police say that they do not want to speculate whether they are exposed to a crime, but that this is something they will investigate.

The hospital where the Norwegian survivor is says that she was in a serious condition when she was arrived, but that she now is in a good shape.

The death of the 46-year-old Norwegian man a month ago was not natural, and they have asked for an autopsy. From the Norwegian enbassy - We can confirm that a 46-year-old died on Phi Phi in April, but we are awaiting the autopsy report. Depending on the result the police will decide if the death should be investigated, "said press spokesman Anders Correct.

Spokesperson Anders says that they are familiar with the death of the American woman, but that they can not make any connections so far, and that they have to rely on investigation from the local police

Phi Phi Island is a popular destination off the west coast of Thailand. There’s a lot of Norwegians with families that visit the island, and backpackers .

[sriracha john]

I have translated the latest news from the Norwegian newspaper VG . (Sorry about any misspellings)

Thank you very much for your news post, balo... (which you did very well, btw)

This is a perplexing situation on Phi Phi now with four recent deaths there (including the unidentified man in the other current thread) with some of them possibly related, but at the same time, perhaps none of them are.

Hopefully today's autopsy can shed some light on at least the American's cause of death.

Please continue to update us all as you find additional Norwegian news and thank you again.

Edited May 6, 2009 by sriracha john

[johna]

This is a public health issue, noticeably absent are the public health officials who should be in charge of this investigation.

A Norwegian man dies of food poisoning a month ago and they are still waiting for the autopsy report?

So the police are waiting for what, the DNA of the suspect bacteria before they make an arrest!!

[Jai Dee]

Some wildly speculative and off-topic posts have been deleted from this thread.

[geriatrickid]

A Norwegian man dies of food poisoning a month ago and they are still waiting for the autopsy report?

So the police are waiting for what, the DNA of the suspect bacteria before they make an arrest!!

Please understand that the "blood chemistry" and cultures can take 1-3 months to develop. Unlike what you see on the crime shows, it's a time consuming process. While your comment about the bacteria was probably sarcastic, bacteria from the stomach could be cultured to determine if the resident gut bacteria was in balance. Our digestive tract is full of bacteria and sometimes it can go "rogue". Hopefully, the first body was repatriated to Norway for autopsy and the Norwegian officials forbade the use of embalming fluids or perservatives prior to return.

This is an interesting case and just reading the references to the meat, perhaps there is a bad frozen batch in there. You know how they can thaw it to make some bolognese sauce put it back in the freezer and then thaw it again to use in hamburgers. It is interesting to note that in the recent Singapore food poisonings that resulted in the shutdown of the hawker stalls the contaminant was traced to the fridge. Tainted fish was the culprit that left its organisms behind in the fridge. Poor hygiene, in that case.

There is something suspicious about this case. When you get food poisoning you don't usually die so quickly. It's a bit of a long process where there is dehydration and renal collapse. In the e coli posionings of produce and hamburgers in the USA, people took 1-2 weeks to die. In the absence of the deceased having an underlying medical condition that made her vullnerable, I'd suspect human involvement due to the rapid death. Good luck though on the local authoritiess taking a history and doing the leg work. They just aren't trained for that. It will be up to the Norwegians to figure out what happened. Someone had better work on this or it will happen again.

[coconutmonkey]

Scary..... and sad... Uh. I worry about the world

[phuketrex]

27-year-old West Seattle resident Jill St. Onge has died in Thailand.

Her family and friends have set up a website here and her boyfriend Ryan is posting on it from Thailand>>>

http://jillstonge.blogspot.com/

They say an autopsy is scheduled to be carried out today.

[MisterMan]

This is terrible!!! The poor families! Oh no!

I wonder if the dead guy found floating off Phi Phi is also related to this story.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/dailynews/ind...9&display=1