Bianca Jones
Photo: Facebook
The owner of a backpacker hostel where two young Australians were staying before they fell violently ill from methanol poisoning has been detained by police for questioning in Laos.
The death toll from the suspected mass methanol poisoning event now stands at five, including 19-year-old Melbourne woman Bianca Jones.
A 28-year-old British woman, two Danish women and an American man have also died.
A New Zealander is believed to have also been affected.
Jones’s friend Holly Bowles remains on life support in a Thai hospital.
The ABC has now confirmed that the owner of the Nana Backpacker Hostel where the Australians were staying and where they started their night with free drinks has been detained for questioning by police in Laos.
The hostel had earlier told the ABC the drinks in question did not come from its bar.
More to come.
– ABC