Laos says cannot determine cause of tourist deaths linked to tainted alcohol

VIENTIANE: Laos authorities said on Saturday (Jul 18) 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 deter