Five Tourists Dead in Laos Methanol Poisoning

Laotian police have detained the owner and manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, where two Australian tourists were poisoned by methanol-laced alcohol, resulting in at least five fatalities. Among the deceased are 19-year-old Bianca Jones from Melbourne and a 28-year-old British woman, with additional victims including two Danish tourists and an American man. The U.S. State Department has issued a health alert warning travelers about suspected methanol poisoning linked to local alcoholic beverages. Despite the serious situation, details from Laotian authorities remain scarce, as the government tightly controls information. The hostel is still operational but is not accepting new guests, and staff have denied that the poisoned drinks originated from their bar. Investigations are ongoing, but as of yet, no formal charges have been filed against those detained.