Womenz Magazine

Australian Teenagers’ Parents Demand Justice After Laos Methanol Poisoning Tragedy, Urge Action

Holly Bowles, Simone White and Australian Bianca Jones
Photo by Social media/handout

The parents of two Australian teenagers killed by suspected methanol poisoning in Laos have come forward to demand answers and justice. Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were among six tourists who died in November after consuming alcohol believed to have been tainted with methanol in Vang Vieng, a hotspot for backpackers and tourists. The tragic incident has left grieving families and a shocked community seeking accountability.

Holly and Bianca were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel—now closed—when they both fell ill on November 13 following a night out. The duo failed to check out of their room, and both were taken to hospital, where they later died at separate facilities. Their untimely deaths have devastated their families, who are now calling for a full investigation into the incident.

Bianca’s father, Mark Jones, recounted the moment of unbearable loss during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia. “He sat us down again and said, ‘The brain has continued to swell’,” he said. “He’s like, ‘We’ll be calling her medically brain dead.’ So yeah, then we made the decision to turn off all the life support. And then we said our final goodbye.” Mark’s anguish is palpable as he struggles to come to terms with the reality that his daughter will never return home. “It’s still hard to believe she’s not coming home,” he added, lamenting the void her absence has created.

Holly’s father, Shaun Bowles, also expressed gratitude amidst his grief. “In a way, we were fortunate to be there with Holly when she passed, which we will forever be grateful for,” he said. Such sentiments are shared by both families as they await further responses from the government of Laos. “We’ve heard nothing,” Mark continued. “So, I can’t be confident about anything.” Shaun criticized the minimal response from authorities, stating, “The Laos government sent their condolences via the federal police, and that, to us, means nothing, nothing at all. That’s just not good enough.”

The tragedy has also prompted international attention. Alongside the Australian victims, two Danish tourists, a British lawyer, and an American man in his 50s lost their lives after consuming the same tainted alcohol, according to SkyNews. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, in an interview on the Today show, said, “We want answers. We want transparency, and we want those who are responsible for causing the deaths of two beautiful, young Australian women brought to justice.” The families’ plea for closure and accountability continues as investigations into the tainted alcohol persist.

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