American Father and Son Die After Wasp Attack in Laos
Dan Owen and his teenage son Cooper lost their lives after being attacked by a swarm of wasps while ziplining at Green Jungle Park in Laos. The tragedy occurred on October 15 as they descended from a tree at the end of a zip line.
Owen, who directed an international school in Vietnam, and his son were visiting the park located near the World Heritage city of Luang Prabang. After the attack, both were rushed from a local clinic to Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital in critical condition.
“The son was unconscious and passed away after half an hour, while the father was conscious and passed away about three hours later,” said Jorvue Yianouchongteng, the emergency room physician who treated them. “We tried our best to save them but we couldn’t.”
Medical staff reported that both suffered from severe anaphylactic shock caused by over 100 wasp stings, although the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
Author’s Summary
Dan and Cooper Owen tragically died in Laos after a severe wasp attack during a zipline activity, marking a devastating incident for the visiting American family.