logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
22m 6s

Methanol killed an Aussie backpacker. Ca...

LiSTNR
About this episode

Headlines: Fifth person dies of methanol poisoning in Laos, ICC issues arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, 1500 Woolworths warehouse workers strike indefinitely, and an Aussie tv personality has helped wrangle a snake off a plane in WA!

Deep Dive: A 19-year-old Australian teenager has died, and another remains in a critical condition in hospital after consuming drinks in Laos suspected of containing methanol.

The family of Bianca Jones said in a statement released to media on Thursday that “it is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news that our beloved daughter and sister, Bianca Jones, has passed away”. Jones’ best friend, Holly Bowles, remains in a critical condition in Thailand, while four others are also suspected to have died from the mass poisoning – two women from Denmark, an English woman and a man from the US. 

The Australian Government has issued a warning following the incident, urging people to be alert to the risks when travelling, particularly with spirit-based drinks like cocktails.   

After such a tragic result, many are asking – how and why is methanol getting into people’s drinks? What does it do to the body? And what can you do to keep yourself safe next time you head overseas? In this episode of the Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by forensic pathologist David Ranson, to discuss why methanol poisoning is more common than you might think.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Tesla investigated after crashes + Taylor Swift's billionaire showgirl era
Headlines: Man who threatened PM prepared to ‘sacrifice self’ was sovereign citizen, Abbie Chatfield ordered to pay $79k for defaming former friend, man found guilty of raping French woman Gisele Pelicot, has been handed extra time on his sentence, US authorities open an investig ... Show More
23m 45s
Yesterday
THE BEEFING: The Beckham Family Feud
The Beckham family has long projected the image of a glamorous, tight-knit dynasty, with David and Victoria at the centre of a global brand. But behind the curated Instagram posts and luxury campaigns, tensions have been quietly simmering. With the release of Victoria Beckham’s N ... Show More
8m 59s
Oct 8
Dolly Parton ain’t dead + The price of a Saudi punchline
Headlines: Manhunt underway in Sydney after man shot dead in ‘brazen’ daylight attack, former William Tyrell investigator 'reading between the lines’ in missing Gus Lamont case, AFP to be allowed to share child abuse material to catch offenders, Qantas among global companies hit ... Show More
22m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Laos tourist deaths: How dangerous is fake alcohol?
The town of Van Vieng in Laos is a popular stop for backpackers traveling through Southeast Asia. But after six tourists died earlier this month following suspected methanol poisoning, many tourists are re-thinking their itineraries and how they drink. We hear from some of them. ... Show More
12m 12s
Nov 2024
The World View - A deadly car rampage in China
Dozens of people killed and injured in China after motorist ploughs into crowd; the Archbiship of Canterbury resigns after church controversy; lights on surfboards to deter sharks? Adam Gilchrist shares details on these stories with Bongani Bingwa.  See omnystudio.com/listener fo ... Show More
3m 37s
May 2025
Everything We Know About The Liverpool Crash, So Far
Today, a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a car crashed into fans during a parade to celebrate Liverpool’s title victory. The 53 year old from West Derby, in Liverpool, has also been arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs and danger ... Show More
23m 38s
Jul 7
Australian woman guilty of murder in toxic mushroom trial
Australian Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three relatives with a beef wellington laced with death cap mushrooms. Also: 20 years since the London 7/7 bombings, and the latest on rescue efforts after Texas floods. 
30m 5s
Apr 2023
Why are so many people dying on Uganda’s roads?
When former journalist, Joseph Bayanga, witnessed the death of three generations of a family on a Kampala road - a mother, daughter and grandchild – he decided enough was enough. More people die on Uganda’s roads – 14 every day – than anywhere else in East Africa. Kampala’s Mulag ... Show More
14m 40s
Aug 29
Thai court removes prime minister over leaked call
Thailand's prime minister has been removed by the constitutional court, plunging politics into turmoil and dealing a blow to Thailand's most powerful political dynasty. Paetongtarn Shinawatra was dismissed for violating ethics in a leaked June phone call, where she could be heard ... Show More
33m 28s
Jan 2025
DC air crash kills sixty-seven people
A mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter over Washington DC leaves sixty-seven people dead. So how could the paths of the two aircraft cross so disastrously? We hear from a former air accident investigator.Also in the programme: chaotic scenes as se ... Show More
47m 27s
Sep 2024
Is it really possible to “smash” the smuggling gangs?
This year has been the deadliest on the English Channel in three years. Six children and a pregnant woman are among the twelve who died on Tuesday after their boat sank off the French coast, bringing the number killed in 2024 to nearly 40.  Today, the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper ... Show More
21m 39s
Dec 2024
A World View from London: Germany’s Christmas market tragedy, US military mishap, and a royal mince pie secret
On The World View from London, Verity Geere stands in for Adam Gilchrist (returning 6 January 2025) to bring you the latest global headlines. In Germany, a Christmas market tragedy prompts a government pledge for a full investigation. Meanwhile, in the Red Sea, the US military mi ... Show More
4m 16s