British teenager Orla Wates dies in Vietnam

A 19-year-old from the UK has died after a reported motorbike crash in Vietnam.

Local media said Orla Wates was involved in an accident on the Ha Giang Loop, a popular route in northern Vietnam that winds through mountains near the border with China.

Viet Nam News reported she died at the Viet Duc Friendship Hospital in the capital, Hanoi, on 2 April.

Her parents, Andrew and Henrietta Wates, told the outlet she "lived life to the full".

"Orla was beautiful, independent and very funny, with a sharp wit," they said.

Her mother thanked the hospital's Dr Trịnh Van Dong and its emergency team for caring for Ms Wates – and said her organs had been donated to save others.

The family met doctors at a "gratitude ceremony" on Wednesday morning, according to the hospital's Facebook page.

Ms Wates' mother told Viet Nam News that donating her organs is "what Orla would have wanted".

"Knowing that she is living on through them brings us great comfort," she said.

In an interview on the hospital's social media, she added: "It is our way of thanking you."

Ms Wates' organs saved three Vietnamese patients in end-stage organ failure, said Vietnam's health minister.

In a letter to the family, Dao Hong Lan wrote: "Your daughter's legacy will continue to live through those who received her organs and in the hearts of the Vietnamese people."

The minister said it was one of the country's first cases of multi-organ donation from a foreigner.

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The UK Foreign Office confirmed its consular staff are supporting the family.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Orla Wates, following her tragic death in Vietnam," said a statement.

"We are in touch with the local authorities, and our consular staff are doing all they can to support Orla's family at this hugely difficult time."

(c) Sky News 2026: British teenager Orla Wates dies in Vietnam