American Father, Son Killed in 'Murder Hornet' Attack

An American father and son lost their lives to a swarm of hornets while ziplining at an eco-adventure park near Luang Prabang, Laos. Daniel Owen, 47, and his 15-year-old son Cooper were stung hundreds of times by what are believed to be Asian giant hornets as they tried to get down from a tree on Oct. 15, the Times of London reports.

• The two, who remained conscious, were first treated at a local clinic and then transferred to a provincial hospital, where they died a few hours later. "Their whole bodies were covered in red spots. It was very, very painful," said Phanomsay Phakan, a doctor at the clinic. "A lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body. ... I had never seen it as bad as that."

• Fatalities from hornet stings are rare in Laos, according to Phakan, who described the severity of this attack as unprecedented in his 20 years of experience. Asian giant hornets, the world's largest hornet species, can sting repeatedly and are known to defend their nests aggressively.
• USA Today reports that the insects, sometimes called "murder hornets," cause dozens of deaths each year in Asian countries including Japan.
• Owen, originally from Idaho, was the director of QSI International School in Haiphong, 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," QSI said in a statement. "He was deeply loved across our community and will be profoundly missed."
• The US State Department confirmed the deaths of two US citizens in Luang Prabang, but said that "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment," reports People.