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Posted: 2024-11-22 08:28:21

A second Melbourne teenager has died following a mass methanol poisoning incident in Laos, bringing the confirmed death toll to six.

In a statement on Friday evening, the family of Holly Bowles, 19, said she had died after being on life support in a Bangkok hospital.

"It is with broken hearts, and we are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace," the family said.

"We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people.

"As her parents, we were always so incredibly proud of everything Holly did. Holly was an amazing big sister to James and she always looked out for him.

"We would like to thank everyone from back home, in Canada and around the world for the love and support that Holly and our family have received."

Ms Bowles's death is linked to the mass methanol poisoning incident in the Laotian tourist town of Vang Vieng, which also claimed the life of Ms Bowles's friend, 19-year-old Bianca Jones.

Bianca Jones smiles as she poses for a photo.

Bianca Jones also died in the mass poisoning. (Supplied)

The incident also resulted in the deaths of British woman Simone White, two Danish women, and an American man.

They are among more than a dozen people who fell seriously ill from methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, the small town popular with backpackers.

The deaths of Ms Bowles and Ms Jones have triggered an outpouring of grief in Australia, where their communities in Melbourne's south-east have rallied to support their grieving families.

A limestone outcrop sits in a lush ravine next to river.

Vang Vieng is about 130 kilometres north of the Laotian capital, Vientiane. (Reuters:  K Yoganand/WWF)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sent a message of support to Ms Bowles's family on Friday evening.

"This should have been a trip filled with joy and wonderful memories — it is beyond sad that it is not to be," he said.

"My thoughts and my deepest sympathies are with her family and her friends.

"I am sure all Australians are thinking of Holly and her best friend Bianca Jones, who tragically passed away yesterday."

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the federal government would "continue to support Holly and Bianca's families, just as we will continue our efforts with local authorities on investigations into this tragedy".

Nana Backpacker Hostel

The Australians were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel. (Facebook: Nana Backpacker Hostel)

The owner of the hostel in Vang Vieng where Ms Bowles and Ms Jones were staying before they fell ill from the poisoning, has been detained by police for questioning in Laos.

The hostel had earlier told the ABC the drinks in question did not come from its bar.

In some countries with more relaxed liquor regulations, methanol, a clear, odourless liquid chemical, is illegally added to alcoholic beverages.

Drinking a small amount — sometimes as little as a shot glass — can be fatal, as methanol is broken down by the body into chemical compounds that attack the organs.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its travel advice for Laos following the methanol poisonings, telling travellers to "be alert to the potential risks, particularly with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails" in the country.

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