• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • First Impressions - The Game
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Dad of teen who died after ‘methanol poisoning’ from drinks on holiday releases heartbreaking tribute

Home> News> World News

Published 12:49 24 Nov 2024 GMT

Dad of teen who died after ‘methanol poisoning’ from drinks on holiday releases heartbreaking tribute

Six deaths have now been confirmed in Laos after a suspected mass poisoning

Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper

The father of an Australian teenager killed by suspected methanol poisoning has now shared a heartbreaking tribute to his daughter.

19-year-old Bianca Jones was holidaying in Laos with her friend, Holly Bowles, when the two women took ill after consuming alcohol in the popular tourist town of Vang Vieng.

Jones would later pass away on Thursday (21 November), while Bowles would become the sixth person to die from the suspected poisoning a day later.

Advert

Other casualties include 28-year-old British national Simone White, Danish friends Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, as well as US tourist James Louis Hutson, 57.

Bianca Jones is one of the six tourists who passed away (7 News)
Bianca Jones is one of the six tourists who passed away (7 News)

Meanwhile, the manager and owner of Nana Backpackers hostel, where several of the tourists taken ill were believed to have been staying, have since been detained by local authorities. The hostel is said to be still operating but no longer accepting new guests.

The 19-year-old's father, Mark Jones, has now shared a heartbreaking tribute to his young daughter, saying that she had been on 'the trip of a lifetime' with Bowles.

"This was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories, and was to be the first of many," the grieving father said in a statement.

Advert

"Bianca wanted to explore the world, meet new friends, lead and create change for good."

Jones then went on to make a direct plea to the government of Laos, urging them to not let his daughter's death be in vain.

She had been travelling with her friend Holly Bowles, who has also passed away (Facebook)
She had been travelling with her friend Holly Bowles, who has also passed away (Facebook)

"I would like to take this opportunity to urge the Laos government to investigate this to the fullest extent, to make sure this incident doesn’t happen again," he said (via The Age).

"Young men and women should be able to travel, create their own life experiences and be safe. We’ll forever miss our beautiful girl and hope her loss of life has not been in vain."

Advert

An official statement released by the Laos government has since offered their 'deepest condolences' to the families of the six victims and promised to bring the perpetrators 'to justice'.

The parents of Simone White have also spoken publicly about the death of their daughter in a heartbreaking tribute.

The family of Simone White have also shared a tribute (Facebook)
The family of Simone White have also shared a tribute (Facebook)

"Simone was one of a kind and had the most wonderful energy and spark for life." the statement said.

"She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues.

Advert

"Simone has been taken from us too soon, she will be sorely missed by her brother, grandmother and entire family.

"Our hearts go out to all other families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy."

Featured Image Credit: (7 News/ Oleksandr Rupeta/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Topics: Alcohol, World News, Health, Australia, Parenting

Brenna Cooper
Brenna Cooper

Brenna Cooper is a journalist at LADbible. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in History, followed by an NCTJ accredited masters in Journalism. She began her career as a freelance writer for Digital Spy, where she wrote about all things TV, film and showbiz. Her favourite topics to cover are music, travel and any bizarre pop culture.

X

@_brencoco

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Mysterious giant structures have been discovered beneath the surface of Mars

    Researchers think it could point towards a volcano

    News
  • 6 hours ago

    Sister of woman who murdered their parents and lived with mummified bodies for years speaks out on horrific crimes

    Virginia McCullough received a life sentence last October after murdering her parents

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Mum left hours away from 'losing her life' has foot amputated after spotting an ingrown nail

    She said she got ingrown toenails about once a week

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Donald Trump issues scathing response to Bruce Springsteen after singer slammed 'treasonous administration'

    Donald Trump hasn't taken the comments well...

    News
  • Eight hostel workers arrested after six tourists died from ‘methanol poisoning’ while on holiday
  • Teen dies after suspected poisoning from free shot of vodka on holiday
  • Scott Mills shares heartbreaking messages with Liam Payne’s dad after he broke down on air during tribute
  • Heartbreaking final words of teen who slipped into world's longest coma and never woke up