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

The families of Australian teens who died from methanol poisoning in Laos are disappointed Laos authorities are yet to accept AFP help in the investigation.

The families of Australian teens Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles have broken their silence after it was revealed Laos authorities investigating their daughters’ deaths are yet to accept Australia’s help.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles on Thursday told parliament the government of Laos is yet to take up Australian Federal Police support in the investigation into the deaths of six foreign tourists – including the two Melbourne teens.

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.

Their parents released a statement after the announcement.

“As the Laos government rejects any support from the AFP, our confidence in accountability and justice for everyone affected remains unanswered,” the statement to Nine News read.

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

Mr Marles told question time 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.

“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.”

Ms Daniel, who is the MP for the girls’ families, said she had contacted Laos authorities before Christmas about the investigation and was told they were “working on it.”

Independent MP Zoe Daniel has been trying to get information from Loas authorities about the investigation and was told they were “working on it.” Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

She said the response was confusing and vague and she was trying to get to the bottom of what was actually happening with the investigation.

“I haven’t seen anything since and that’s not only frustrating, but it’s also potentially dangerous for other travellers and really upsetting the families who need some answers and accountability,” she said.

Ms Daniel wrote to the Laos ambassador on Thursday urging authorities to accept assistance from the AFP so they could work together.

“Not for the AFP to take over, but for the AFP to assist,” she said.

Ms Daniel said the deputy prime minister indicated the government was willing to be more insistent that Australia expected answers on behalf of the families and other young travellers.

“We don’t want this to happen to someone else, so we really need to get to the bottom of what’s gone on,” she said.

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