Methanol deaths probe: Laos issues statement on link to 'tainted' drinks

Methanol deaths probe: Laos issues statement on link to 'tainted' drinks Authorities in Laos have issued a statement days after it was announced that a court has brought charges against the owner of a distillery connected to the deaths of six tourists The deaths of six backpackers linked to methanol poisoning cannot be blamed on an individual or cause, officials claim. Brit Simone White, 28, died along with five others following a night out in Vang Vieng, Laos, in November 2024. Now nearly two years on, Laos Ministry of Public Security claims it was barred from conducting postmortems to establish how the tourists perished and who is responsible. Two Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, and US citizen James Louis Hutson, 57, also died. In a statement released on Saturday, authorities in the country in Southeast Asia said they did no have enough evidence to establish if the deaths "were caused by the actions of any individual or by any particular cause, because no autopsies were conducted on the bodies." But Laos Ministry of Public Security confirmed that officials had found "excessive levels of methanol" in vodka made by the distillery involved in the case. It comes after the owner of a distillery in the town faces charges for selling food products harmful to health and operating an illegal business, but not for the deaths. The Australian government said it was “deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed” that more serious charges had not been pursued. It is thought the victims drank free shots tainted with methanol, a toxic substance normally found in paint thinner but sometimes mixed illegally with alcohol to cut costs. The poison is a colourless liquid that tastes similar to alcohol and drinking a small amount can be lethal. Many of the victims were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, where guests failed to check out after falling ill on November 13. Earlier this year, 10 people connected to the hostel were charged with destroying evidence, receiving suspended sentences and fines of £135 each. Vang Vieng is a riverside town in central Laos and is a hub for backpackers travelling across Southeast Asia. Last week the British government launched a campaign warning tourists of the risks of methanol. Simone’s brother Zak White has said: “I don’t think we’re ever going to get to the bottom of what happened and get a fair punishment.” Australian media reported at the time that the Australian Federal Police had offered to assist Laos with the investigation but were denied. The usual time frame for an autopsy to be performed needs to be two to three days after death. The bodies of the two Australians were repatriated two weeks after their deaths. The symptoms of methanol poisoning can include; - Vomiting, poor judgement, loss of balance and drowsiness are early signs - 12-48 hours after drinking symptoms can include abdominal pain, vertigo, hyperventilation, breathlessness, blurred vision and/or blindness, coma and convulsions - Vision issues are a distinctive red flag, particularly blurry vision, trouble looking at bright lights, and in some cases complete blindness. "Snowfield vision" (seeing snowy static like an old TV) or tunnel vision can also occur