Six dead in Laos: What is methanol poisoning?

Two 19-year-olds from Melbourne are among six people to have died from a suspected methanol poisoning incident in Laos. Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles were visiting a tourist town in the Southeast Asian country when they fell ill. They were rushed to separate hospitals in Thailand, where they died late last week. Speaking after the death of his daughter, Mark Jones told media in Thailand that Bianca was enjoying “the trip of a lifetime with one of her best mates”.  The suspected poisoning has also claimed the lives of tourists from Denmark, the U.S. and the UK, in what’s now become a multi-national investigation. Authorities in Laos have conducted raids and detained some people for questioning, but no one has been charged. Today, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about this story.

Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi FitzSimons
Producer: Orla Maher

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