American principal of international school in Vietnam’s Hai Phong dies after hornet attack in Laos: media
An American, 47, principal of an international school in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam, and his 15-year-old son died after being stung by a swarm of giant hornets while on an adventure trip in Luang Prabang, Laos in October.
The tragic incident occurred at Green Jungle Park, an eco-adventure resort, on October 15, while they were zip-lining, The Times reported.
When they reached one of the mid-forest stations, a swarm of giant Asian hornets, each about 4.5 centimeters long with six-millimeter stingers, suddenly attacked the two.
Both father and son suffered over 100 stings across their bodies.
They were rushed to a nearby clinic for emergency treatment and initially remained conscious.
However, despite the doctors’ efforts, both succumbed to severe anaphylactic shock within hours.
A doctor who directly treated the patients said the victims’ bodies were ‘covered in red welts’ and described the pain as ‘unimaginably intense.’
He called it the most serious case of hornet attack he had seen in over 20 years of medical practice.
The American man had been with the international school system for 18 years.
A close-up of an Asian giant hornet is seen in an undated Washington State Department of Agriculture picture obtained by Reuters May 4, 2020. Photo: Reuters
The giant Asian hornet, native to East, South, and Southeast Asia as well as parts of the Russian Far East, can grow up to five centimeters in length.
Its venom contains mastoparan-M, a potent toxin that causes extreme pain and can be fatal when multiple stings occur.
These hornets are responsible for dozens of deaths each year in Asia.
In recent years, the species has spread to parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom.
In September, three people in Spain’s Galicia region died after encounters with the insects.
Tuoi Tre News