Families of Australians killed in Laos call for answers

The families of two Australian teenagers killed in a suspected methanol poisoning in Laos have welcomed news that eight people have been detained during a police investigation into the incident.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, were among six foreign tourists who died after apparently consuming the toxic substance, which is commonly added to bootleg alcohol.

The bodies of the Australians were flown home to Melbourne late on Tuesday, accompanied by their relatives.

“We miss our daughters desperately. I was happy to hear that there’s been some movement over in Laos – we cannot have our girls passing and this continuing to happen,” Ms Jones’s father Mark told reporters.

The eight people detained for questioning on Tuesday were staff at the Nana Backpackers hostel where all the victims had been staying, according to local media.

The owners of the hostel, which is now closed, have previously denied serving illicit alcohol.

Speaking at Melbourne Airport, Mr Jones urged the government in Laos to “continue to pursue” the case, adding that the families involved would try to “raise awareness of methanol poisoning”.

The other four victims have been named as Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from the UK; James Louis Hutson, a 57-year-old American; and Danish citizens Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21.

Mr Hutson was found dead in his bedroom at the hostel on 13 November with several empty glasses nearby. On the same morning Ms Orkild Coyman and Ms Vennervald Sorensen were also found unconscious in their rooms and rushed to the local hospital.

It is unclear how many other people may have fallen ill from the suspected poisoning and an investigation into the deaths is continuing.

The hostel’s manager was among several people questioned by police last week. Earlier, he told the Associated Press that Ms Jones and Ms Bowles had been the only tourists staying at the venue to have become unwell after drinking free shots there before heading out for the night.

Methanol – which is commonly found in industrial and household products such as paint thinners – is a colourless chemical substance sometimes used in bootleg alcohol.

Consuming just 25ml – which amounts to roughly half a shot – can be lethal, but it can take up to 24 hours for victims to start showing signs of illness, via symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain.

Methanol poisoning has long been an issue across South East Asia, particularly in the poorer countries along the Mekong river, and the broader region has the highest prevalence of incidents worldwide.

The recent spate of deaths has cast a spotlight on Vang Vieng – which is a notorious party town – and prompted renewed warnings from governments around the world about drinking spirits in Laos.