Laos says it can't determine cause of tourist deaths linked to methanol

However, the ministry added, officials had found "excessive levels of methanol" in vodka made by the distillery involved. The victims included Simone White, a 28-year-old Briton, 19-year-old Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, both from Denmark, and US national James Louis Hutson, 57.It is thought the free shots were tainted with methanol, a toxic substance normally found in paint thinner but that is sometimes mixed with alcohol illegally to cut costs.The poison is a colourless liquid that tastes similar to alcohol and drinking a relatively small amount can be lethal. It is absorbed in the gut within minutes and then gets into the bloodstream. As the body attempts to clear methanol - breaking it down or metabolising it in the liver - an enzyme converts it to formaldehyde and formic acid.Many of the victims were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, where guests failed to check out after falling ill on 13 November.Earlier this year, 10 people connected to the hostel were charged with destroying evidence, receiving suspended sentences and fines of $185 (£135) each. Vang Vieng is a riverside town in central Laos and is a hub for backpackers travelling across South-East Asia.