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Irish woman poisoned in Bali

Indonesia - 25-year-old dies
Indonesia - 25-year-old dies

An Irish woman has died in Indonesia after drinking contaminated alcohol in a poisoning scandal that has claimed more than 20 lives.

25-year-old Rachel Craig, from Drogheda in Co Louth, died along with her Dutch partner after they drank alcohol that was tainted with methanol.

The couple were holidaying in Bali.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is providing consular assistance to her family.

A British man, 59-year-old Alan Cole, also died in a separate incident.

Both he and Ms Craig are believed to have consumed traditional arak palm wine that was spiked with methanol.

Mr Cole is thought to be the first foreign victim of the poisoning.

His Indonesian wife found him unconscious at their home in Canggu in Bali after he drank arak bought from a local stall, the Jakarta Post reported.

He had suffered a seizure and his vision was affected by the time they reached a hospital, and he was later pronounced dead.

The cause of death is thought to be alcohol poisoning.

The Indonesian authorities have responded to the poisonings by cracking down on home distillers of arak, a cheap and potent spirit that is popular with tourists in cocktails.