A school teacher and his teenage son have been killed by a swam of hornets as they ziplined through a resort in Laos.
The American principal of an elite private school, identified as Daniel Owen, 47, and his 15-year-old son, Cooper, tragically died after being stung to death 'more than a hundred' times while ziplining at an eco-adventure resort on vacation, near Luang Prabang on the Mekong River, Laos, on October 15.
The pair were reportedly swarmed by Asian giant hornets, which can grow up to two inches long with a quarter-inch sting, as they attempted to descend from a tree with their guide, according to local health officials.
Although the father and son arrived conscious and exhibited no immediate signs of anaphylactic shock, they died within hours of being raced to hospital.
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Daniel, originally from Idaho, had relocated to a life abroad with his wife, Jessica, and their son where he worked as the director of Quality Schools International in Haiphong, Vietnam, a private school for almost two decades.
Phanomsay Phakan, a doctor at the Phakan Arocavet Clinic, where Daniel and Cooper were initially taken, said in a statement: "Their whole bodies were covered in red spots. It was very, very painful. A lot of stings, more than one hundred, over the whole body.
"I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that," he added, reports New York Post.
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Allergic reactions can kill people who have been stung by wasps, hornets and bees in a matter of hours, though Dr Phakan said he had never experienced such a tragedy in his career.
“I have never seen a death and I have been working more than 20 years,” he said.
According to The Times, Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) are considered the world's largest type and are distinctly different from Asian hornets (Vespa velutina).
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Following the tragedy, the luxury eco park which offers a variety of adventure experiences said the attack was 'unprecedented'.
It offers customers the chance to 'fly between the trees' on its zipline at around $20 per person.
A spokesperson said: "Green Jungle Park extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Daniel and Cooper Owen.
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"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.”
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Quality Schools International Vietnam, which can charge up to $760 per month for tuition, also issued a statement about the passing of their principal, who died on or just before his 47th birthday.
"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,” it read.
“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.”
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Ian Campbell, a spokesperson for the British Beekeepers Association, also said the danger of hornet stings can vary.
He told The Times that there 'is no threshold that has been set for the number of stings' before triggering an allergic reaction and even death.
"A lot of it is down to the individual response — people do get injured, people do get hospitalised and, on occasion, people die. So there is a public health risk from this," Campbell said.
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“The severity of an attack can [be worse] if a nest is disturbed. They will defend it vigorously and in force.”
Topics: Animals, Health, Travel, US News, World News, Parenting, Education
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