The Bahrain-based parents of a woman who died alongside her fiancé from apparent methanol poisoning in Vietnam last year say they are still fighting for justice, having yet to receive any updates on the case.
Greta Otteson, 33, a former St Christopher’s School pupil, and her South African fiancé Arno Quinton Els, 36, were found dead on December 26 last year in separate rooms of a resort villa at Hoi An, Vietnam.
Authorities reported no signs of physical trauma, violence or a break-in.
Greta and Arno in Vietnam
In January 2024, Greta and Arno moved to Vietnam, leasing an eight-room hotel and quickly establishing an online business as ‘digital nomads’ with a global client base. In November 2024, Paul, 71, and Susan Otteson, 70 visited Greta and Arno, where the happy sweethearts announced their engagement.
During their stay, the family frequently dined at a well-known Hoi An restaurant Good Morning Vietnam, enjoying food and drinks, including a local favourite called limoncello, a liqueur mainly made from lemon peel and served ice cold before or after a meal.
A few weeks later, after Mr and Mrs Otteson returned home and were thinking of a Christmas gift for Greta and Arno, they decided to send them bottles of the beverage from the restaurant.
Within hours of drinking it on Christmas Day, Greta messaged her parents saying she had a severe hangover and was seeing black spots. Despite suggestions from her friends and family, she didn’t seek medical attention.
The two square bags – one topped with a pink bunny, and the other a blue teddy – hold Greta and Arno’s ashes
Post-mortem examinations revealed that the couple had died from severe methanol poisoning.
In February, a barman was arrested for allegedly preparing the contaminated beverages by using 70-degree medical grade alcohol normally associated with sterilisation, not for drinking or using in food processing. It was mixed with filtered water, lemon peel and white sugar to create bottles of ‘limoncello’ at Good Morning Vietnam restaurant. Investigations are continuing, the GDN has been told.
“Our only child Greta and her fiancé Arno were cruelly taken from us and we have received no further updates and are demanding answers,” said Mr Otteson, who has lived in the kingdom since 1981.
“Both were victims of methanol poisoning at the restaurant, Good Morning Vietnam, as officially confirmed by the Vietnamese police.
“For Susan and I, this is more than the loss of two lives. Our hopes and future are in ruins – no daughter, no son-in-law, and no grandchildren. We are living in a void,” he added.
Mr Otteson expressed frustration that more than nine months have passed with no updates from the Vietnamese authorities.
“As grieving parents seeking answers, it is unbearably cruel to receive no feedback,” he said, adding that he also cannot understand why the restaurant responsible continues operating normally, while only one bartender has been arrested.
Diplomatic notes to Vietnamese authorities have so far gone unanswered.
“We have tasked a highly respected Vietnamese law firm, SB Law in Hanoi, but we have been told that they cannot act until the police contact them,” he explained.
Mr Otteson also spoke of Greta and Arno’s deep love for Bahrain, noting that Greta proudly introduced the kingdom to everyone she met during her travels. “Greta was born in Awali Hospital on September 29, 1991,” he said, adding that she would have been 34 this week.
After studying in the US and interning at NastyGal and Longchamp, she returned to Bahrain and worked with leading Bahraini fashion brand Noon by Noor between 2015 and 2017.
“Greta would tell anyone who asked that she was a Bahraini and frequently promoted the country, returning for friends’ weddings and special occasions,” he said.
The retired former Alba executive and his wife live between their homes in Seef and the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire.
Two square bags – one topped with a pink bunny, and the other a blue teddy – hold Greta and Arno’s ashes.
“They sit in the lounge with us. We want to lay them to rest properly, but we feel we can’t do that until there is a proper conclusion to this case,” he added.
The GDN reported in May that British member of Parliament Ann Davies raised the issue in the House of Commons, demanding transparency and justice for the family. She secured a commitment from the British government to update the family on the ongoing investigation.
Methanol is tasteless and has a faint smell. It is sometimes used in counterfeit or homemade alcohol to cut costs.
It is extremely poisonous; as little as 60 to 240 millilitres can prove fatal for an adult. Symptoms may include a decreased level of consciousness, poor or no co-ordination, vomiting, abdominal pain and decreased vision.
While precise global figures are unknown, reports suggest thousands of people are poisoned by methanol each year, with incidents often occurring in Asia from homemade or bootlegged alcohol.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))