Canadian dies in Cambodia after taking medicine

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg woman who loved to travel and was just beginning a teaching career fell sick and died this week while on a year-long backpacking trek through Asia, a longtime friend said Wednesday.

Samantha Gilkes says her 27-year-old friend, Abbey Gail Amisola, died in a hostel in Cambodia after getting medicine.

“We haven’t heard much about what has happened — just that her and her friend were ill, they went to the pharmacist to get some medication,” Gilkes said.

The federal government said a Canadian citizen had died in Cambodia, but would not release details or confirm the citizen’s identity.

“Consular officials in Cambodia are providing consular assistance to the family and are also in contact with local authorities,” Philip Hannan, spokesman for Global Affairs Canada, wrote in an email.

The Manitoba Teachers Society said Amisola was a member of the union.

Amisola had recently earned her education degree and set off in September for a trek through Asia, she added.

The Daily Mail reported Wednesday that Amisola had been travelling with a 22-year-old English woman named Natalie Jade Seymour, and that the two had taken medication after suffering symptoms of food poisoning. Seymour also died, the British newspaper reported.

Cambodian police are investigating.