Six months after six backpackers died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, officials say they still cannot say who – or what – killed them. Autopsies were never performed, leaving investigators without the forensic evidence needed to establish blame.
Simone White, a 28-year-old Briton, was among the victims who died in November 2024 after a night out in Vang Vieng, a riverside town popular with travellers. The others were Australian women Bianca Jones, 19, and Holly Morton-Bowles, 19; Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21; and American James Louis Hutson, 57.
“Laos says no autopsies were conducted, so it cannot determine cause or blame for six methanol-linked tourist deaths.”
They are thought to have consumed free shots laced with methanol – a toxic substance normally used in paint thinner but sometimes mixed with alcohol illegally to cut costs. The colourless liquid tastes similar to alcohol but can kill in small amounts, converting in the liver to formaldehyde and formic acid. Many of the victims were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, where guests failed to check out after falling ill on 13 November.
On Saturday, the Laos Ministry of Public Security said authorities had not been allowed to conduct autopsies in 2024, and therefore “lacked the forensic evidence necessary to determine the cause of death”. They added, however, that officials had found “excessive levels of methanol” in vodka made by the distillery involved.
Earlier this week it emerged that the distillery owner faces charges for the sale of food products harmful to health and operating an illegal business – but not for the deaths. The charges collectively carry penalties of up to one year in jail and a fine of £829 ($1,100). Ten people connected to the hostel were previously charged with destroying evidence, receiving suspended sentences and fines of £135 each.
The Australian government said it was “deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed” that more serious charges had not been pursued. Australia’s foreign ministry summoned Laos’ ambassador in Canberra. Australian media reported at the time that the Australian Federal Police had offered to assist with the investigation but were denied. The bodies of the two Australians were repatriated two weeks after their deaths. The usual time frame for an autopsy is two to three days after death.
A Briton, two Australians, two Danes and an American walked into a bar in paradise. Six months later, Laos says it cannot say how – or why – they died.