Moments before their 8-hour flight to Laos, Bianca and Holly's parents received a sickening phone call.

It was meant to be the trip of a lifetime. Best friends Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones were backpacking through Southeast Asia on their gap year when their dream adventure turned into a nightmare.

The 19-year-old friends were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos — a hotspot for both party and thrill-seeking travellers. On November 11, they shared free shots with fellow backpackers before heading out for the night.

Staff found them gravely ill and rushed them to hospital with suspected methanol poisoning. They were flown to Thailand, where they spent days in a coma, before passing away.

The Melbourne teens were among six tourists who died in the mass poisoning.

The government of Laos said it was "profoundly saddened" by the deaths and vowed to prosecute those responsible. But six months on, Holly and Bianca's families are still searching for answers — and justice.

On Sunday, 60 Minutes reported that up to 13 people linked to the poisoning deaths may finally face charges. But the teens' mothers say it's not good enough.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died from methanol poisoning. Image: Facebook.

For months, Michelle Jones and Sam Bowles say the Laos government has ignored their desperate pleas.

Now, the families have finally received an update, but not from the Laos government — despite writing to Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone "a million times". Instead, it was the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs writing to say charges had been recommended by local police against 13 people from Nana's Hostel and the Tiger distillery.

The proposed charges include elimination of evidence, violation of food and health security and unlawful business operations, according to 60 Minutes.

Michelle and Sam say they feel they've been let down and they're "furious".

"Pretty appalling, I'd say pretty insulting," Sam said of the charges.

"We know that there's no murder or manslaughter charges, which we feel there should be."

Sam Bowles and Michelle Jones are 'furious' murder or manslaughter charges likely won't be brought against those responsible. Image: 60 Minutes.

Holly and Bianca's parents worry the lighter charges mean those responsible for their daughters' deaths will get off with just a fine.

"Heartbreaking and just full of anger, frustration," Sam said.

"They (Laotian authorities) don't care," Michelle added.

"I mean, you know, lives were taken away."

In a touching tribute to their daughters, Michelle and Sam got tattoos with Holly and Bianca's ashes — a permanent reminder that their girls are always with them.

Heartbreaking final moments.

The parents spoke to 60 Minutes about their grief, and the moment they got the call their daughters might not make it, just moments before boarding the flight to Laos.

"I got a call the girls were in trouble, a lot of trouble," Bianca's father, Mark said.

"My whole being was just focused on, 'Just let her be okay,'" Holly's mum Sam Bowles, told Tara Brown on Sunday night.

"It was an 8-hour flight that felt like 38 hours," Shaun Bowles added.

In February, they shared how they've channelled that pain into a new mission to prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak.

"It's still hard to believe she's not coming home. You wake up every morning, expecting her to walk out of her room," Mark, said.

"I was so happy for her. She was so excited, but I just didn't think that she wasn't going to come back," Michelle added.

Sam said she was grateful to have been there for Holly's final moments.

"We got to brush Holly's hair. Hold her hands, just hold her. We got to be in the same room with her," she said.

Both Bianca and Holly's parents warned against the dangers of methanol poisoning, noting their lack of knowledge of the topic before tragedy struck.

"They weren't doing anything wrong," Mark added. "They were having a drink, having fun. And yeah, there's no way to determine if there is methanol in a drink. So it's very much a silent killer."

"Any of us could be Holly... Any traveller from any country. Any parent could be you guys," Sam said.

"What it can do to your body is incredible. It's just so lethal," Michelle added.

They hope that by speaking out about the dangers of methanol poisoning, others will be able to avoid enduring tragedies in their own families.

"I cannot have my daughter's passing not mean anything," Mark said.

"If this gets parents to have a conversation with their kids if they're off travelling, then that's something," Shaun added.

When it came to the Laos government's response, both sets of parents felt there was a lack of empathy and accountability in the way the situation had been handled. They said the government refused to meet with them.

"It seems like a complete cover-up," Mark said, discussing the lack of transparency in the government's investigation.

Holly Bowles' parents Sam and Shaun want to save other families from the same tragedy. Image: 60 Minutes.

The Laos mass methanol poisoning.

Since the incident, information about what actually happened in Laos, a one-party communist state where the media is tightly controlled, has been light. This is what we know.

Holly and Bianca were found unwell on November 13. That same day, the two female Danish victims — Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21 — were discovered unconscious on the bathroom floor. They told their friend they had been vomiting blood for hours.

They later died from heart failure at a hospital in the capital Vientiane.

Hostel staff noticed American national James Louis Huston, 57, had also not come out of his room. When they went to check on him, they found him lying dead on the bed, with several empty glasses nearby.

British lawyer, Simone White and two of her friends fell unwell after the night out and woke with headaches that only worsened throughout the day.

Eventually, they took themselves to hospital and Simone's condition rapidly deteriorated. She quickly became critical and underwent urgent brain surgery. She died in hospital on November 21.

Following the mass poisoning, the Laos Ministry of Health's Department of Food and Drugs prohibited the sale or consumption of local spirit brands Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky.

Australia's Smartraveller website issued a warning urging Australians to avoid the products. This warning still remains, as of May 2025.

"Lao authorities have issued an order prohibiting the sale and consumption of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky due to their concerns about these products being a health risk," it states.

"Australians should avoid consuming these products due to these serious safety concerns.

"Be alert to the potential risks, particularly with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails."

The owner of the hostel, Duong van Huan, repeatedly denied that the poisoned drinks came from his bar. The hostel has been shut since the tragedy.

Eight of its staff were detained but were later released, according to 60 Minutes.

Bianca Jones' parents, Mark and Michelle Jones say they want answers. Image: 60 Minutes.

What is methanol, and how does it get into alcoholic drinks?

Methanol is an odourless, colourless and flammable alcohol, but it's not safe for drinking. The alcohol we consume is made with ethanol.

Methanol is used in industrial and household products such as fuel, paint strippers, antifreeze and windshield cleaning fluids.

The chemical is sometimes illegally added to alcoholic drinks in countries with more relaxed alcohol regulations as a cheaper way to increase the alcohol content in a drink.

Listen to what you should know about methanol poisoning on Mamamia's twice-daily news podcast, The Quicky. Post continues below.

What does methanol poisoning do to you?

Methanol is extremely poisonous. Sometimes, even as little as a shot can be fatal.

According to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 30ml can be deadly for a child and 60ml to 240ml for an adult.

Methanol is so toxic because of how our body metabolises it.

While ethanol is metabolised into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde, it rapidly converts to acetate (which is found in common vinegar and is something the body can use for several purposes).

However, methanol breaks down into other compounds that are far more hazardous.

Methanol is metabolised into formaldehyde (a chemical used for embalming corpses) and formic acid (the chemical that gives ant bites their sting).

Methanol poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Blindness is common and often permanent too, as is organ damage.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning.

In its early stages, methanol poisoning may just seem like you're drunk. Pay attention to whether your intoxication levels feel disproportionate to how much alcohol you have consumed.

Severe symptoms do not usually occur until 12 to 24 hours after consumption.

Methanol poisoning symptoms can include:

• abdominal pain

• nausea

• vomiting

• breathing difficulty

• vision problems (blindness, dilated pupils, flashes of light, tunnel vision, changes in colour perception, blurred vision)

• seizures

• and/or comas

Smartraveller urges Australians to be alert to drink origins and spiking, particularly with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails.

Contaminated drinks could include local home-brewed spirits, spirit-based drinks and brand-name alcohol, as labels on bottles aren't always accurate.

To protect yourself from drink poisoning, Smartraveller says:

• consider the risks when drinking alcoholic beverages

• be careful drinking cocktails and drinks made with spirits

• drink only at reputable licensed premises

• and avoid homemade alcoholic drinks.

This article was first published on January 31, 2025 and has since been updated.

Feature image: 60 Minutes.