Vientiane (AFP) – Laos authorities said on Saturday they could not determine blame or the cause of the deaths in 2024 of six tourists previously linked to methanol-tainted alcohol because their families had refused to allow autopsies.

Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died following what media reports said was a night out on the town in Vang Vieng in November that year.

“To date, authorities do not yet have evidence that can establish whether the deaths… were caused by the actions of any individual or by any particular causes,” the Laos Ministry of Public Security said in a statement on Saturday.

“This is because the authorities were not permitted to conduct autopsies on the bodies of the deceased, and therefore lacked the forensic evidence necessary to determine the cause of death,” it said.

However, the statement said: “The Ministry of Health’s Food and Drug Research Center found excessive levels of methanol in Tiger Vodka.”

Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can be added to liquor to increase its potency but can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

The statement said, based on information provided by the Australian Embassy and a Thai hospital, that “methanol had been detected in the blood of the two deceased Australian tourists”.

It said legal proceedings had been initiated against the owner of the Tiger distillery for “manufacturing or selling products hazardous to health” and “illegal commercial operation”.

The operator of the Tiger brand has reportedly denied any responsibility.

The owner and 10 employees of the hostel where the American tourist was staying have also been charged with “destruction of evidence” after transporting his body to hospital.

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