Melbourne Teen Holly Morton-Bowles Honored After Tragic Death in Laos

The 19-year-old and her best friend, Bianca Jones, died after consuming methanol-laced alcohol during a backpacking trip in Southeast Asia.

Holly Morton-Bowles, 19, was remembered by over 700 mourners at her funeral held at Beaumaris Secondary College in Melbourne, with many wearing pink or blue and yellow ribbons in her honor.
She and her best friend, Bianca Jones, died in November after consuming methanol-laced alcohol in Vang Vieng, Laos, during a backpacking trip described as the 'adventure of a lifetime.'
The deaths were part of a larger incident that claimed the lives of six tourists, prompting Laos to ban the sale of Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky, believed to be the source of the contamination.
The families of both teens have launched a fundraising campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of methanol poisoning and to support related global education efforts.
Authorities in Laos have arrested the owner of a factory linked to the tainted alcohol, and 11 staff from a hostel where the teens stayed are under investigation.