An American man, his son die after suffering stings from swarm of wasps while ziplining in Laos - The Tribune

An American Man and Son Die After Wasp Attack While Ziplining in Laos

An American man and his teenage son died last month after being stung dozens of times by a swarm of wasps while ziplining at an adventure camp in Laos, hospital officials reported.

Dan Owen, director of an international school in neighboring Vietnam, and his son Cooper were attacked on October 15 at the Green Jungle Park, located outside the city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995.

After the attack, they were taken to a local clinic and then transferred to Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital in critical condition, according to Jorvue Yianouchongteng, the emergency room doctor who treated them.

“The son was unconscious and passed away after half an hour, while the father was conscious and passed away about three hours later. We tried our best to save them but we couldn't.”

The doctor explained that both suffered severe anaphylactic shock following more than 100 wasp stings, although the exact cause of death had not been confirmed.

The wasps involved are likely Asian giant hornets, known as “murder hornets” for their aggressive behavior toward other insects. These hornets, along with other wasp species, are found in Laos.

Author's summary: An American father and son succumbed to anaphylactic shock after a massive wasp attack while ziplining in Laos, highlighting the dangers of encounters with aggressive hornet species.

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The Tribune The Tribune — 2025-11-06

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