Eight staff members of a backpacker hostel in Laos have been detained by local authorities as they investigate the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, according to state-affiliated media in the Southeast Asian country.

Laos police have detained eight staff and managers of the hostel where Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles were staying when they fell ill. A third Australian is also recovering from suspected poisoning.

Laos police have arrested the owner, manager and six staff members of the Laotian hostel at the centre of a spate of fatal ­methanol poisonings as the ­grieving parents of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles brought their daughters’ bodies back to ­Australia.

Officials arrested eight hostel workers in Laos on Monday for allegedly poisoning travelers with methanol, according to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Tourists reported illnesses after consuming alcohol in the town of Vang Vieng,

Police in Laos have detained the manager and seven workers of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.

The suspected mass poisoning of six tourists in Laos last week has sent shockwaves through the backpacker scene, and highlighted Southeast Asia's problem with tainted alcohol. A Briton, two Australians,

Staff from a backpacker hostel have been detained after six tourists died from suspected methanol poisoning after a night out. View on euronews

Eight arrested over Laos methanol poisonings which killed six tourists - All arrested individuals are employees of Nana Backpackers Hostel