Laos says it can't determine cause of tourist deaths linked to methanol

What the report says

BBC World News reported that Laos says it cannot establish responsibility or a definitive cause in the deaths of six foreign tourists linked to suspected methanol-tainted alcohol, because no autopsies were carried out. The deaths occurred after a night out in Vang Vieng in November 2024 and involved Briton Simone White, Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, Danish citizens Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, and American James Louis Hutson.

According to the BBC, Laos’ Ministry of Public Security said investigators lacked the forensic evidence needed to prove whether any individual’s actions, or any specific cause, led to the deaths. The ministry also said authorities found excessive methanol levels in vodka made by the distillery involved. Earlier in the week, it emerged that the distillery owner faces charges over selling food products harmful to health and operating an illegal business, but not over the deaths; the reported maximum penalties are up to one year in jail and a fine of about US$1,100.

Australia has reacted sharply, with its government saying it was deeply disappointed that more serious charges were not brought and summoning Laos’ ambassador in Canberra. The BBC also reported Australian media accounts that the Australian Federal Police offered help with the investigation but were denied.

The case matters because Vang Vieng is a major backpacker stop in central Laos and methanol poisoning has been a recurring danger in parts of South-East Asia where illicit alcohol may be produced cheaply. Methanol can resemble drinkable alcohol but can cause severe illness, blindness, coma or death even in small amounts.