Father pays tribute to daughter after death from methanol poisoning

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with
SBS News Podcasts
TRANSCRIPT
“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. We can’t have the passing of our daughter and not have later change to protect others. Young man 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.”
That was Mark Jones, a grieving father, making a heartbreaking plea.
His19-year-old daughter Bianca died while backpacking in South-East Asia with her best friend Holly Bowles, who also died from poisoning.
The two Melburnians consumed drinks tainted with methanol at a popular hostel in the Laos town of Vang Vieng.
Bianca died just days later on Thursday, [[21 NOV]] at a hospital in Thailand.
Holly’s passing was confirmed a day after [[Nov 22]] by her family.
Mr Jones says their lives were cut short.
“Our daughter was on the trip a lifetime with one of her best mates. This was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories and was to be the first of many. Her life had just begun. She was a young woman that had a lust for life.”
Thai authorities have confirmed Bianca suffered brain swelling due to high levels of methanol in her system.
The compound that makes drinks alcoholic is actually ethanol, but because methanol is indistinguishable in taste, it is often illegally used as a cheaper alternative.
Methanol is mainly used to produce fuel, insecticides, paint strippers and solvents and is poisonous to humans.
For the substance to be present in beverages, it has to be intentionally added to them.
The issue has become more common in countries with lax liquor laws.
A British woman, an American man and two Danish tourists also fell victim, while several others became ill.
Professor Alistair Hay is a toxicology expert, he explains why different people have different reactions to the consumption of methanol.
“Individuals vary in their response to methanol. Some will be able to tolerate more than others because we all have variability in the capacity of our enzymes to detox. But small quantities, you are talking about several tens of millilitres might be fatal for individuals, others may survive slightly more than that”
He says removing the substance from the body before it breaks down is extremely important.
“With any poisoning prompt treatment offers the best success. If you can get in and delay the breakdown of methanol, and there’s a drug, fomepizoleo, or ethanol itself, and if you can get in early enough, then the outcome can be fine.”
The Laotian government addressed the incident on Saturday with local police saying multiple people have been detained, but no charges have yet been filed.
Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allen, has also spoken on the tragic event.
“It’s just heartbreaking to see the tragic death of these two beautiful vibrant young women who were on an adventure of a lifetime and to have it end in this terrible tragic way is deeply distressing.”
While tourism continues in the popular town of Vang Vieng, the incident prompted many to be more cautious.
This is a tourist currently backpacking in Laos.
“I think it destroys the value of backpacking a little bit. Because everyone is just enjoying their time, maybe meeting some new people at the hostels, taking some drinks with people from all around the world… and now I wouldn’t do it today because of the poisoning.”
Family members are still working to bring Bianca and Holly back home.
To say a final farewell for lives cut tragically short.