A tragic vacation turned deadly when Daniel Owen, 47, and his 15-year-old son, Cooper, were fatally attacked by Asian giant hornets while ziplining near Luang Prabang, Laos.
According to the New York Post, local authorities said the pair were stung over 100 times while attempting to descend from a tree with their guide at an eco-adventure resort along the Mekong River on October 15. The massive hornets, which can grow up to two inches long with a quarter-inch stinger, quickly overwhelmed the father and son.
“Their whole bodies were covered in red spots. It was very, very painful. A lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body,” said Dr. Phanomsay Phakan of the Phakan Arocavet Clinic. “I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that. I have never seen a death and I have been working more than 20 years.”
The Owens were rushed to a nearby hospital but died just hours later. It is not yet clear whether their guide sustained injuries.
The resort, Green Jungle Park, described the attack as “unprecedented.”
“Green Jungle Park extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Daniel and Cooper Owen. Following this incident, we have reviewed all existing procedures. This event is unprecedented in our experience and, to our understanding, in Luang Prabang as well. It was an unforeseeable and extraordinary natural occurrence,” a spokesperson said.
Originally from Idaho, Daniel Owen had spent years living abroad with his family. He served as the director of Quality Schools International in Vietnam, an elite private school where tuition can reach $760 per month.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dan Owen, Director of QSI International School of Haiphong, and his son Cooper, due to a tragic accident,” the school said in a statement. “Dan dedicated 18 years to QSI, serving in five different schools and touching countless lives with his warmth, leadership and unwavering commitment to education. He was deeply loved across our community and will be profoundly missed.”
