‘One drink of limoncello killed my daughter – it may occur to anybody’
A grieving mum has spoken out about the death of her daughter from drinking contaminated alcohol. Kirsty McKie had been residing in Bali for eight years. Given her fiancé’s career in the hospitality sector, she exclusively bought alcohol from “high-end and reputable suppliers” and was well aware of the dangers.
However, following an evening at home with her mate, the 38-year-old, originally from Stockport, passed away in 2022 after unknowingly consuming tainted alcohol and attempting to sleep off what she believed was simply a hangover. She had been drinking from a bottle of limoncello.
She was buried back home a month following her death, though it took her family months to finally receive the answers they desperately sought, with pathologist reports subsequently confirming that she died as a result of methanol poisoning – which is a big problem in South East Asia
Her mum Margaret is now campaigning to raise crucial awareness with the hope of preventing further tragedies. This includes urging people not to consume spirits in certain countries, even if sealed and purchased from shops, in case they are inadvertently contaminated, adding: “There is no way to know. It can happen to anybody,” reports the Manchester Evening News.
Over 14,000 deaths worldwide since 1998 are believed to have been connected to methanol poisoning. Tragedy also struck in 2024 when six people tragically perished, including British backpacker Simone White, after consuming alcohol laced with methanol at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the popular tourist destination of Vang Vieng, Laos.
In the aftermath of the incident, it’s come to light that ten individuals were prosecuted for tampering with evidence related to the poisoning and given suspended sentences, along with paltry fines of just £135. Margaret has blasted this as “insulting” to the families affected.
The UK Foreign Office is presently warning travellers about the risks associated with consuming fake or contaminated alcoholic beverages from a lengthy list of sixteen countries – and the signs to be vigilant for. “You never really know what you are consuming. It could happen to anyone”.
Kirsty was a self-employed TV producer and filmmaker based in London who spent eight years in Bali, where she honed her skills as a ceramicist specialising in pottery. She conducted classes for tourists and taught from her personal studio.
Since Kirsty’s passing, her mother Margaret has been advocating for change alongside other impacted families. Their mission is to boost crucial awareness and safeguard the lives of others who might be oblivious to the potentially lethal hazards of methanol poisoning.
She alleged that there have been recent instances of spiked alcohol even reaching other popular destinations like Greece and Spain. The 66-year-old mum is sharing the primary symptoms so that victims don’t “try to sleep it off thinking it’s just a bad hangover”, adding that her daughter Kirsty, an alumna of the University of Manchester, was fully cognisant of the risks and always purchased high-quality alcohol.
“We didn’t get the diagnosis of what killed her for months,” she revealed to the M.E.N. She continued: “We had no idea what the reason was for her death.
“Her friend had also become ill but had gotten better. They had no idea that it was anything other than a bad hangover.
“We brought Kirsty back to the UK and had her funeral a month after she died and still didn’t have any answers. We didn’t find out it was methanol poisoning until some time after.
“A pathologist in Bali took samples and kept them under laboratory conditions until they could be tested, which was when we got the truth. They were well informed and they were careful.
“They only ordered their alcohol from a supplier who supplied high-end restaurants and hotels. She did not suspect that it could be anything because they just believed that they were being as careful as they needed to be.”
Margaret revealed that in well-known tourist destinations including Laos, Indonesia and Thailand, spirits served in beverages and cocktails at bars can be tainted, though authentic empty bottles can also be refilled and flogged by criminals using methanol in spirits to reduce expenses. Similar to ethanol, methanol is a clear and combustible liquid with a comparable odour.
“It can turn up in any alcoholic drink but it’s more frequently discovered in beverages with stronger alcohol levels, such as spirits, and traditionally fermented drinks. Even tiny quantities of methanol can trigger blindness or prove fatal within 12-48 hours of ingestion, and being both tasteless and virtually scentless, holidaymakers have no way of spotting it.”
Margaret also highlighted the tragic case of Greta Otteson, who died at 33 from methanol poisoning after purchasing alcohol from a restaurant in Vietnam on Boxing Day 2024, saying: “Kirsty and Greta both died having followed Foreign Office advice. They talk about reputable establishments that are licensed, well that’s what both of them did.”
She explained: “It can end up in alcohol by non-professional practise, such as local brew, which is done to a poor standard but not knowingly. It’s not organised crime, but is careless and unprofessional.
“The other aspect of it is there are companies who knowingly bottle methanol because it’s cheap. It’s a deliberate act and it’s not fit for human consumption.
“The recommendation is for tourists not to throw away genuine bottles without smashing them, as they can be refilled as part of bigger operations with professional machinery. Even drinking sealed bottles doesn’t actually cover the dangers. Fake alcohol and labels look very convincing.
“We want people to realise there is no guarantee and no way to know and be sure. To be totally safe, we say not to drink shots or cocktails as people don’t know what’s in them, but also that there is never a guarantee that a spirit is safe.
“It could happen to anyone. We would advise people to drink beer or buy spirits first at duty free and keep them in the hotel.
“You can never really know what you are consuming.” No legal proceedings have been launched against those responsible for Kirsty’s death because the bottle had been thrown away.
Far too much time had elapsed before the family received the answers they desperately craved. Margaret believes governments prioritise their tourism industry over securing justice for victims.
“It didn’t occur to anybody in Kirsty’s case that it could’ve been methanol poisoning, and that’s why by the time we got to the truth, the bottle had long since been thrown away so there was no way of proving who caused it,” Margaret revealed. She added: “We have had to make peace with it.
“There’s no way that we can pursue it. We know the Governments of these countries are more concerned about the tourist trade and don’t want the bad publicity.
“In our experience, and from those of other bereaved families, you don’t get support. They want to brush it under the carpet because they don’t want to stop people coming because it damages their image.”
After the deadly incident at the Laos hostel, six people perished following around 100 guests being served complimentary shots before falling critically ill. 10 individuals received suspended sentences and were slapped with fines of merely £135.
Responding, Margaret said: “The fines for those in Laos are derisory. It’s not a deterrent or enough, and it won’t stop it happening again.
“What sort of message is that sending? It’s not justice, it’s insulting.
“People haven’t been punished sufficiently.” The Department for Education has verified that secondary school students across England and Wales will now learn about “how to decrease the risks of having a drink spiked or of poisoning from potentially fatal substances such as methanol”.
The Foreign Office has subsequently revised its guidance, which has become far more comprehensive and features a list of 16 nations to be wary of. Guidance and signs of methanol poisoning Ministers faced calls in September to provide “clear guidance” on methanol poisoning within official travel advisories following the tragic death of British holidaymaker Simone White at a backpacker lodge in Laos during 2024.
The 28-year-old died in November after consuming complimentary drinks at the hostel’s bar. The solicitor, hailing from south-east London, had been holidaying alongside her mate Bethany Clarke, who was likewise hospitalised with methanol poisoning but managed to pull through.
Simone was amongst half a dozen victims who tragically lost their lives after downing alcohol at the establishment, initially mistaking her symptoms for a severe hangover. Bethany has since launched an awareness drive via her Instagram account @simonewhitemethanolawareness.
Symptoms of methanol poisoning include feeling sick, vomiting, dizziness and confusion. Whilst initial signs can mimic alcohol poisoning, distinctive symptoms such as vision problems, loss of balance and confusion may emerge.
More information is available here. The Minister responsible for Consular and Crisis, Hamish Falconer, warned: “Methanol poisoning can kill – it can be difficult to detect when drinking and early symptoms mirror ordinary alcohol poisoning.
“By the time travellers realise the danger, it can be too late. That’s why we’re working hard to raise awareness of the warning signs and urging anyone who suspects methanol poisoning to seek immediate medical attention.
“I encourage all travellers to check our travel advice and Travel Aware pages before they go on holiday. No family should endure what the campaigners’ families have suffered.
“Their determination to prevent others facing the same tragedy has been instrumental in driving forward these vital updates to our travel advice.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
