The restaurant believed to have served a contaminated beverage that led to the deaths of a former Bahrain resident and her fiancé in Vietnam has now been shut down, following continued pleas for answers and justice from their families.
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, from methanol poisoning.
Her parents, Paul, 71, and Susan Otteson, 70, have tasked a Vietnamese-based law firm, SB Law, to represent them during the legal proceedings.
In a recent email update, the firm informed the family that a police official had confirmed the well-known Hoi An restaurant Good Morning Vietnam had shut its doors.
“The inspector of the Vietnamese police has confirmed that the restaurant is now closed,” the email read. “He believes this is highly likely due to the severe damage to its reputation following the incident, which made it impossible for them to continue normal business.”
The officer clarified that the closure had not come about as a result of a request from investigators and that the decision would not affect the outcome of the investigation which was expected to be concluded shortly.
Mr Otteson, a retired former Alba executive, told the GDN that the couple was ‘grateful to everyone who had spread the word on the risk of methanol poisoning, especially in South East Asia’.
“This is where young people travel to experience the wonderful scenery and the welcoming people of that region,” said Mr Otteson, who lives between his home in Seef and the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire with his wife. “However, there are some unscrupulous restaurant and bar owners who appear to gamble with the lives of visitors.
“The message is clear – avoid drinking spirits, liqueurs and cocktails. Methanol poisoning is cruel, causing blindness, organ damage and even death, as we now cruelly know to our cost. Travellers should learn the symptoms and act quickly to save lives.
“With regard to the closing of the Good Morning Vietnam restaurant, had the owners had the decency to take action at the time, the outcome might have been different. However, there is no escaping the court of public opinion and the people have spoken.
“Greta’s friends in Bahrain, along with our own, have been a great comfort to Susan and myself,” he added.
Greta and Arno happily engaged 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, Mr and Mrs Otteson visited Greta and Arno, where the happy sweethearts announced their engagement.
During their stay, the family frequently dined at 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.
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.
Methanol is extremely poisonous; as little as 60 to 240 millilitres can prove fatal for an adult.
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