Concerning symptoms experienced by woman who died alongside her fiancé after drinking limoncello

A woman who drank 'homemade' limoncello before she and her fiancé both died had admitted to family members she was experiencing concerning symptoms after consuming the alcohol.

Greta Otteson and her fiancé, Arno Els, were both found dead on December 26, 2024 at Vietnam's Hoi An Silverbell Villa, the hotel they had been running together after they moved to the country in February last year.

Two days earlier, the couple had gone out for dinner and returned to the hotel to find that two bottles of limoncello had been delivered to their reception desk from a restaurant.

The limoncello was delivered by a nearby restaurant (Getty Stock Photo)

The restaurant reportedly features images of the lemon liqueur on its website, where it's listed alongside the word 'homemade'.

Otteson and Els were both healthy as they'd approached the Christmas period, but on Christmas Day, Otteson, 33, reached out to her family to say she was experiencing some unusual symptoms.

According to a source who spoke to The Times, Otteson described having the 'worst hangover ever'. Horrible, but not typically considered fatal.

However, the young woman also described seeing 'black spots' in her vision.

The couple could have sought medical assistance, but instead decided to try and 'sleep it off'.

Sadly, it was the following day that Otteson was found dead in her bed, while Els' body lay in a nearby room.

Police have said there were no signs of false entry (Quangnam Provincial Police)

Upon investigating, Vietnamese police confirmed the couple died as a result of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol, believed to be the limoncello.

The source told The Times: “A local bar owner and a fantastic friend called over and wanted to take them to hospital but they refused. Sadly I think it was too late by then. Police forensics established the limoncello, which had been delivered, was the source.”

Otteson’s parents, Susan and Paul, have described their child as 'beautiful' as they paid tribute to her after her death.

In a statement, they said: “Both Greta and Arno were experienced worldwide travellers. They found their perfect home and were incredibly happy with their life in Vietnam, planning for the future."

Not to be mistaken for ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages, methanol is a highly toxic substance which can be found in antifreeze and windscreen-washer fluid.

The liquid cannot be tasted, but it is sometimes used in counterfeit alcohol to increase its potency.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning

According to Mount Sinai, consumption of methanol can cause either complete or partial blindness, blurred vision, and a headache and dizziness, which may explain the 'black spots' Otteson was experiencing, and what she had perceived as a bad hangover.

Other symptoms of consumption include breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, coma, confusion, seizures, severe abdominal pain and vomiting.

According to Travel Aware, 'spotting methanol poisoning can be tricky because at first, it can feel like regular alcohol poisoning'.

"Basically, if you’re feeling very drunk, out of proportion to how much you’ve had to drink, get help ASAP", the website states.

What to do if you think you have methanol poisoning

If you are worried you or someone you know may have methanol in your system, time is crucial. Calling or visiting your local hospital as early as possible could save your life, as treatment is most effective within 10–30 hours of ingesting methanol.

Usually, medical professionals will treat methanol poisoning via dialysis. They may also give you an antidote like ethanol, or a drug called Fomepizole to stop methanol from metabolising into a toxic fluid in your body.