(NewsNation) — An American father and son were killed after being swarmed by hornets while ziplining on vacation in Asia, according to multiple reports.
On Oct. 15, Daniel Owen, his son Cooper, and their guide were struggling to descend from a tree at an eco-adventure resort when Asian giant hornets swarmed them, stinging the father and son more than 100 times.
The father and son were taken to Phakan Arocavet Clinic. A doctor at the clinic, Phanomsay Phakan, said, “Their whole bodies were covered in red spots. It was very, very painful. A lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body. I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that.”
Daniel Owen and Cooper were conscious when they arrived at the clinic and showed no symptoms of anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction that can kill people who have been stung by bees, wasps and hornets.
The two were transferred after less than an hour to the Luang Prabang provincial hospital and died a few hours later.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dan Owen and his son Cooper,” Quality Schools International said in a statement. Daniel Owen was the director of QSI’s International School in northern Vietnam.
“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,” the statement also said.
The Asian giant hornet is considered an invasive hornet native to Asia and is sometimes found in the UK and Europe.