Laos says autopsy gap leaves methanol-linked backpacker deaths unresolved
Laos says it cannot determine the cause of six deaths linked to methanol-tainted alcohol because autopsies were not performed, though authorities found high methanol levels in vodka from the distillery involved. The victims—Briton Simone White, Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, Danes Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, and a U.S. national—died after a night out in Vang Vieng in November 2024, with many staying at Nana Backpacker Hostel. The distillery owner faces charges for selling harmful foods and operating illegally, not for the deaths, with penalties up to a year in jail and about £829 fine. Australia has pressed for tougher charges and Laos summoned its ambassador in Canberra. The case underscores methanol poisoning risks in Southeast Asia and ongoing investigations.
