Father and son killed by swarm of hornets in Laos

Father and Son Killed by Swarm of Hornets in Laos

An American teacher, Daniel Owen, 47, and his teenage son, Cooper, 15, tragically died on October 15 after being attacked by what are suspected to be Asian giant hornets while ziplining in Laos.

Incident Details

The pair were stung hundreds of times as hornets swarmed them and their guide while they were descending from a tree at an eco-adventure resort near Luang Prabang.

Ziplining involves sliding in a harness along a steel cable between platforms high in tropical trees.

Medical Response

At the Phakan Arocavet Clinic, where they were first treated, Dr. Phanomsay Phakan reported:

“Their whole bodies were covered in red spots. A lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body. I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that.”

Though conscious upon arrival and showing no signs of anaphylactic shock, they were transferred to the Luang Prabang provincial hospital within an hour, where they died a few hours later.

Additional Information

The victims were Americans on holiday.
The guide was also attacked during the incident.
Anaphylactic shock is an allergic reaction that can be fatal after hornet stings but was not observed in this case initially.

Author’s summary: A father and son were fatally stung by a swarm of suspected Asian giant hornets while ziplining in Laos, dying despite prompt medical care.

The Times — 2025-11-04