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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Petra Stock and Associated Press

Australia updates travel advice for Laos as charges announced over mass methanol poisoning

Laos Australia Bianca Jones Holly MortonBowles Lars Løkke Rasmussen Michelle Jones Penny Wong
Australia Laos Tourists Poisoned. In this image made from video Michelle Jones, right, holds a photo of her daughter, Bianca, as Michelle and her husband Mark Jones appear on a news program in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, July 17, 2026. (Australian Broadcasting Corp via AP)
Mark and Michelle Jones discuss the deaths of their daughter, Bianca, and Holly Morton-Bowles. Photograph: ABC/Australian Broadcasting Corp/AP

The Australian government has increased its travel alert level for Laos, advising travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to the risk of methanol poisoning.

It comes as a distillery owner in Laos was charged after a mass methanol poisoning incident killed six foreign nationals, including the Australian backpackers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles.

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