The parents of two Australian teenagers who tragically died after consuming poisoned drinks in Laos are urging fellow Australians to reconsider visiting the country.
Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were on a dream vacation in the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November 2023 when they unknowingly drank methanol-laced alcohol at the Nana Backpackers hostel, leading to their deaths.
Their heartbreaking deaths, along with the deaths of six other tourists at the same hostel, sent shockwaves throughout Australia and beyond.
Despite this, the girls' parents claim that Laotian authorities have failed to conduct a proper investigation into the tragedy.
Holly Morton-Bowles (picture) and Bianca Jones were on a trip in Laos when they accidentally consumed methanol, and died. Credit: Facebook / Holly Morton-Bowles
No Accountability and No Answers
The parents of the two teenagers, along with families of the other victims, have criticized the Laos government for its lack of response and transparency.
Mark and Michelle Jones, the parents of Bianca, said: "No family should ever have to go through this. To date, no individual or organization has been held accountable," per Herald Sun.
They added: "It appears these deaths of innocent young women may be forgotten, brushed aside, and left unresolved."
Holly’s parents, Shaun Bowles and Samantha Morton, echoed these sentiments, saying: "We recognize how corrupt and unhelpful the Laos government [is].
"There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest there is any type of investigation going on."
They urged Australians to remove Laos from their travel plans, stating: “Your life is worth nothing over there, and we have seen this first-hand, as well as other families that have been involved in this tragedy."
Bianca Jones in a picture shared on June 21, 2024. Credit: Facebook / Bianca Jones
Investigation Stalls, Suspects Go Free
According to the Daily Mail, Laos authorities initially linked the deaths to the illicit production of methanol-containing alcohol and detained several hostel workers for questioning.
However, despite these early steps, no charges have been laid, and no significant progress has been made in the investigation.
The hostel itself remains closed, but the owners continue to deny any wrongdoing, claiming that no illicit alcohol was served.
Adding to the frustration, it was revealed earlier this year that a bartender and the hostel manager, both implicated in the poisoning, had found new jobs in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, the Laos government has failed to directly communicate with the victims’ families, offering only condolences through the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Offers from the AFP to assist in the investigation have been ignored.
Australia and Other Countries Demand Justice
60 Minutes journalist Tara Brown revealed that the Laotian government expressed their sympathy to the families in a letter to our Foreign Minister Penny Wong and assured "that it would conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice," per The New York Post.
“But so far, despite those words, there’s been very little action.
"When we tried to go to Laos to find out why we were denied access to the country because they claimed the case is still being worked on."
Brown continued: "More significantly, and cruelly, no Lao officials will meet with the devastated families, not even in private."
In the wake of the tragedy, the families of the deceased have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover their out-of-pocket expenses, as well as to fund awareness, education, and prevention initiatives surrounding methanol poisoning.