What was supposed to be an epic trip turned into a total nightmare for two young travelers. Ebony McIntosh (24) from the UK and Nadine Raguse (26) from Germany were found dead in their hostel room in Colombo, Sri Lanka—and now, their families are left shattered and searching for answers.
What Actually Happened?
Both women were staying at Miracle Colombo City Hostel, probably just enjoying their trip, when things took a horrible turn. The place had just been fumigated to kill bedbugs, and now, cops are looking into whether toxic pesticide exposure played a part in their deaths.
McIntosh was rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, she didn’t make it.
Sri Lankan police spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga said an autopsy will be done after McIntosh’s family arrives. In the meantime, the hostel has been shut down while authorities figure out what went wrong.
Family Devastated, Asking for Help
McIntosh’s family is beyond heartbroken. They never expected to be dealing with something like this. Now, they’re trying to raise funds to travel to Sri Lanka and bring her home.
On their GoFundMe page, they wrote:
“We’re absolutely crushed to share that our beautiful Ebony passed away suddenly on February 1, thousands of miles from home.”
“It still doesn’t feel real. Since we got the news, we’ve been hoping and praying this isn’t true. How could this happen to our beautiful Ebs?”
From Dream Trip to Tragedy
McIntosh had been planning this trip for months. She flew out of London on January 28, excited to explore South Asia. But just a few days later, everything spiraled out of control.
On February 1, she and several others at the hostel started feeling seriously sick—nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing. Before anyone could process what was happening, she was gone.
What’s Next?
Right now, the big question is: Was this an accident, or was it preventable?
For now, her family just wants justice—and the truth about what really happened to Ebony.