World
Laos: Authorities Unable to Establish Cause of Tourist Deaths in 2024 Despite Methanol Detection
Laotian authorities have failed to establish the official cause of death for six foreign tourists who died in November 2024, according to Le Monde on July 18, 2026. The victims—two Danes, one American, one British national, and two Australians—were initially suspected of poisoning from adulterated alcohol containing methanol. However, authorities acknowledge that excessive levels of methanol, a toxic alcohol lethal in small quantities, were found in a local vodka brand. The official cause of the deaths remains undetermined.