Laos has not accepted Australian offer for expert help to investigate methanol tourist deaths

The Australian government has provided a disturbing update into the investigation into the methanol poisoning deaths of six foreign tourists, including two Melbourne teens.

The government of Laos is refusing expert help from Australia in the investigation into the deaths of six foreign tourists – including Australian teens Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles – from methanol poisoning.

The 19-year-old friends from Melbourne were on the trip of a lifetime in the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November last year when they fell ill.

The pair, alongside four other tourists staying at the Nana Backpackers hostel, died after accidentally consuming methanol.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told the federal parliament on Thursday that Laos had not accepted help from the AFP in response to a question from independent Zoe Daniel.

“What happened to Holly and Bianca struck at the heart of the nation and all of us stand in the embrace of their families, and it is unimaginable to think about what they are going through in the loss of their beautiful daughters,” Mr Marles said.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died of methanol poisoning in Laos. Picture: 60 Minutes

“The Australian Federal Police have made an offer to the authorities in Laos to provide their assistance in the investigation and there is a whole lot of capability that the Australian Federal Police could bring to bear in terms of this investigation.

“I have to report, sadly to the house, that, at this point, the Laos authorities have not taken up that invitation on the part of the Australian Federal Police.

“But I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is being consistently offered and raised with the Laos authorities.”

Melbourne teen Bianca Jones dies in methanol poisoning tragedy. Picture: Facebook

Holly Bowles also died after consuming methanol-laced alcohol. Picture: Supplied

The two Aussies both died after they fell ill consuming drinks laced with methanol in Vang Vieng in November.

While travelling through Southeast Asia together, the pair were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in the tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng, north of the capital Vientiane.

They both died in the days after the mass poisoning event, which claimed the lives of six people.

British lawyer Simone White, 28, an unmanned US man and two Danish women, aged 19 and 20, also died during the suspected poisoning.

Simone White died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos

Samantha Morton and Michelle Jones – the mothers of the two Australian girls – said this week they were angry that they hadn’t heard anything from the Laotian government following the daughters’ deaths.

“We’re still waiting to hear what’s going to happen next,” Ms Morton said.

The mothers raised their concerns over the lack of messaging about the dangers of taking free drinks at hostels and tourist bars, saying they were “angry” about the “lack of information coming out of Laos”.

Mr Marles told parliament Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had spoken to her counterpart in Laos and “made clear” the Australian government expected a thorough investigation.

”We will continue to press Laos to pursue this investigation as we will continue to offer the assistance of the Australian government through the Australian Federal Police in this investigation,” Mr Marles said.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been in contact with Bianca and Holly’s families and they will continue to do so.

“Any information that we have we want to share with them,” Mr Marles said.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Holly’s father Shaun Bowles said neither of the girls would have known they were consuming a lethal drink.

“They weren’t doing anything wrong,” he said.

“They were having, having a drink, having fun. And yeah, there’s no way to determine if there is methanol in a drink.

“So it’s, it’s very much a silent killer.”

Despite the six deaths, Mr Bowles said nobody has heard anything from the Laos government about their investigation into the methanol poisoning.

Bianca Jones’ father Mark Jones says he’s determined to find the answers to the questions surrounding his daughter’s death. Picture: 60 Minutes

Bianca’s father, Mark Jones, told 60 Minutes he was determined to not give up hope that all of the families affected will find out the truth.

“We won’t forget,” he said.

“And we’ll absolutely make sure that they are accountable for the loss of our daughters and make sure that we, you know, to your point, you know other people don’t suffer what we’ve suffered.

“We want some form of closure.

“We want to understand that people who have done wrong by our daughter and Holly and the other people are going to be brought to justice.”

Originally published as Laos has not accepted Australian offer for expert help to investigate methanol tourist deaths