47-year-old Daniel Owen, director of QSI International School of Haiphong in Vietnam, was reportedly killed by a swarm of Asian giant hornets while ziplining in Laos on October 15, 2025.

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

An American teacher and his teen son were killed after being stung by hundreds of suspected "murder hornets" while ziplining on vacation in Laos, according to reports.

Daniel Owen, 47, and his 15-year-old son, Cooper, died after being attacked by what appeared to be a swarm of Asian giant hornets, The Times in the United Kingdom reported on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The Owens were visiting an eco-adventure resort near the northern Laotian city of Luang Prabang.

The hornets swarmed over the pair and their zipline guide as they struggled to descend from a tree on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The Owens were conscious when they were rushed to the Phakan Arocavet Clinic and showed no signs of anaphylactic shock, the severe allergic reaction that can occur from stings. 

Dr. Phanomsay Phakan said the father and son's bodies were covered in red spots when they arrived at the clinic.

"It was very, very painful," Dr. Phakan told The Times. "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."

Within an hour, the Owens were transferred to Luang Prabang's provincial hospital. They were pronounced dead a few hours later.

Daniel Owen was the director of QSI International School of Haiphong in 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," Quality Schools International said in a Facebook post. "He was deeply loved across our community and will be profoundly missed. Our sincere condolences go out to the Owen family and all who knew and loved them."

At around two inches long, Asian giant hornets are the world's largest hornets, and their "murder hornet" nickname became well-known in the US when they were discovered in the northwest corner of Washington state in 2019. The invasive species enter a "slaughter phase" when they decapitate bees and kill entire hives, according to Washington's agriculture department.

Experts say that "murder hornets" generally don't attack humans or pets unless they're threatened. Their stingers are longer than a honey bee's, their venom is more toxic, and they can repeatedly sting.

In December 2024, Washington officials and the US Department of Agriculture declared that "murder hornets" were eradicated from the country.