The parents of two Australian teenagers who tragically lost their lives in Laos last year are urging fellow Australians to reconsider visiting the Southeast Asian country. Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were on a dream vacation in the popular tourist town of Vang Vieng when they accidentally ingested methanol, leading to their untimely deaths. The incident occurred in November of the previous year.
The two friends were not the only victims of this tragedy. Four other tourists staying at the same Nana Backpackers hostel also lost their lives due to methanol poisoning. Methanol, a colorless and odorless substance, can cause severe illness and even death if a small amount of just 0.85 fluid ounces is consumed.
The parents of the deceased teenagers, Shaun Bowles and Samantha Morton, expressed their disappointment with the lack of progress in the investigation. They criticized the Laos government for its perceived corruption and lack of assistance, stating that there was no evidence of any ongoing investigation into the incident. They urged Australians to remove Laos from their travel plans, citing their personal experience and the experiences of other families affected by the tragedy.
The parents’ frustrations were acknowledged by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who noted the lack of progress in the Laotian investigation. Mark and Michelle Jones, parents of Bianca, expressed their concern that no individual or organization has been held accountable for the deaths. They fear that the tragic incident may be forgotten and left unresolved.
The Laos ambassador to Australia, Chatoulong Bouasisavath, did not respond to inquiries from the media. The families’ quest for answers has been met with silence from the Laos government. It was revealed in February that the Laos government had declined to meet with the families of the victims.
In a televised interview, the grieving parents stated that they had not received any communication from the Laos government since the incident. They expressed their determination to ensure that their daughters’ deaths were not in vain. Following the tragic incident, there was a widespread outpouring of sympathy from Australia and around the world, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Vigils were held in Melbourne in honor of the young women.
Funeral services for the teenagers were held at their respective schools in December. In the wake of the tragedy, the families set up a crowdfunding page to cover expenses related to the incident and to raise awareness about methanol poisoning.
Despite repeated attempts, authorities in Laos have not been forthcoming with information. The Lao Government had previously expressed its ‘profound sadness’ over the deaths and promised to investigate the incident. However, the families and the public are yet to see any significant action.