Heartbroken father of Laos methanol poisoning victim Holly Bowles says 'she was everything you'd want your daughter to be' and makes solemn vow in tearful interview
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The father of 19-year-old Holly Bowles, who died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos last month, said his daughter was 'full of life' and 'everything you would want your daughter to be' as he appealed for those responsible to be held to account.
![[Melbourne teen Bianca Jones (pictured) died in hospital in Thailand in late November]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/10/92313971-14205079-Melbourne_teen_Bianca_Jones_pictured_died_in_hospital_on_Thursda-a-102_1734517781923.jpg)
Shaun Bowles said in a tearful interview with the BBC that his daughter was travelling across South East Asia with her friend, Bianca Jones, also 19, when they fell ill after drinking alcohol thought to have been contaminated. They were among six tourists who died in the space of just a few days in the tourist hotspot, Vang Vieng, including Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from the UK, who drank at the same hostel before falling critically ill.
![[Mr Bowles spoke to the BBC about his daughter and hopes to raise awareness of methanol poisoning in the wake of her tragic passing last month]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93269879-14205079-Mr_Bowles_spoke_to_the_BBC_about_his_daughter_and_hopes_to_raise-a-130_1734520226819.jpg)
'They were having an unbelievable time, just having so much fun,' Mr Bowles told the BBC's Today Programme. 'They were just having an absolute blast.'. Mr Bowles said his daughter had been regularly in touch before they learned she had fallen unwell through a friend. Holly and Bianca's mothers soon flew out to Thailand to visit them in the Udon Thani hospital where they had been moved.
![[The bereft father bravely spoke out as he calls for those responsible to be held accountable]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/11/93269877-14205079-The_bereft_father_bravely_spoke_out_as_he_calls_for_those_respon-a-131_1734520229412.jpg)
Bianca tragically died on Thursday, November 21 and Holly a day later. Mr Bowles told the BBC his focus was on raising awareness of the issue of methanol poisoning in South East Asia. 'We absolutely want whoever is responsible for this brought to account and brought to justice, and we're going to do everything that we can to make sure that is the case,' he added.
![[CCTV from inside the hostel shows Ms Bowles and Ms Jones being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorbike being driven by a hotel staff worker]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/10/92265017-14205079-CCTV_from_inside_the_hostel_shows_Ms_Bowles_and_Ms_Jones_being_t-a-104_1734517822860.jpg)
