Phi Phi deaths could be food poisoning

Phi Phi deaths could be food poisoning

Two Canadian sisters found dead in their hotel room on the popular Thai resort island of Phi Phi may have been the victims of "serious food poisoning", police said on Sunday.

The bodies of Audrey and Noemi Belanger, aged 20 and 26, were found on Friday by staff of Palm Residence Hotel on Ao Nang in Muang district. Early indications were that they suffered an extreme toxic reaction, news agencies reported.

"Forensic officials found vomit in the room, blood on their lips and gums and their fingernails and toenails were blue," Pol Lt Col Rat Somboon of Krabi Provincial Police said, adding there were "signs of serious food poisoning".

"They died more than 12 hours before being found. They had eaten meals outside the hotel," he said.

The bodies of the sisters, who were from Canada's French-speaking Quebec province, were taken from Phi Phi to the nearby town of Krabi on Thailand's Andaman seaboard, where a probe into the cause of the deaths was underway, he added.

Pol Lt Pongpan Waiyawat, of Phi Phi's police force, said more details would be released "once there is some progress", adding there was no indication of a violent struggle inside their room.

"Their bodies were found a little after midday,'' Pol Lt Pongpan said.

''We will have to wait for the post-mortem to determine the cause of death but based on initial investigations there's no sign of violence in their room.''

Pol Lt Wisawa Senghar, who is based on Phi Phi, said the sisters had only planned to stay Tuesday night at the hotel, but extended their stay.

''It really is difficult to speculate what may have killed them,'' he told the Phuketwan website.

Anangkana Choisrinal, a nurse at Krabi Hospital where the bodies are being kept, told Phuketwan both women had a mysterious rash.

''I have never seen a case like it. We have no idea as yet what killed the women.''

In May 2009, American Jill St Onge, 27, and Norwegian Julie Michelle Bergheim, 22, died in similar circumstances while staying in adjoining rooms at the Laleena guesthouse.

Despite pathology tests in Norway and the US, the women's cause of death has never been determined.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (33)