Nat Barr broke down in tears after an emotional report on the two Australian women who died in suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.
Melburnians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, and four other foreigners have died in recent weeks after falling ill in Vang Vieng, a popular tourist town in Laos.
Bianca and Holly’s bodies landed at Melbourne Airport on Tuesday, with their parents on the same flight.
“We want to cry, we miss our daughters desperately,” said father Mark Jones, speaking to media upon arrival.
Watching the parents speak brought tears to Barr’s eyes on her show Sunrise, where she praised their bravery in facing the media.
“Seeing those two parents have to do that and face the media is just incredible, right?” the Sunrise host said Wednesday morning.
‘Our hearts go out to all the families and friends affected. Let’s hope justice is done here.”
A fundraiser in honor of the two Australians had raised $320,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, prompting their loved ones to expand their efforts to raise awareness about methanol poisoning.
Nat Barr teared up as he praised the courage of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles’ parents.
Mark Jones (right) said he “wants to grieve”, pictured alongside Shaun Bowles (left)
The three fundraising goals are to ease the financial burden on families, support educational measures on methanol poisoning, and fund awareness campaigns.
The grieving Jones and Bowles families are now seeking to raise $500,000.
“We are truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and generosity you have shown in supporting our campaign in memory of Bianca and Holly,” the Jones and Bowles families said in a statement posted to their gofundme page Tuesday.
“Your contributions, your kind words and your willingness to share your story have inspired us beyond measure.”
Local media reported that eight people were detained over the deaths of an American and two Danish women in Van Vieng, but made no mention of the two Australians or a British woman who also died of suspected methanol poisoning.
The detained men were identified as hotel staff and management.
The Australian Federal Police has offered to assist in the Laos investigation, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament the government had made it clear to officials that it expects a thorough and transparent investigation.
Friends of the teenagers from Beaumaris, in Melbourne’s south-east, have decorated their suburb with blue and yellow ribbons in their memory.
Melbourne teenager Bianca Jones (pictured) has died after suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.
Eight employees of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, where Melbourne teenager Holly Bowles (above) died after drinking an allegedly contaminated drink, were arrested on Monday.
Early tests indicated there was supposedly methanol in the beer and spirits served at Nana Backpackers Hostel (pictured).
The friends were on holiday in Laos when they fell ill and were unable to check into Nana Backpacker Hostel on November 13 after going to Jaidee Bar.
Jones and Bowles were evacuated to Thailand and died in separate Bangkok hospitals after their parents rushed to their beds.
Other victims of the alleged mass poisoning are the American James Louis Hutson, 57, two young Danish women, Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and a 38-year-old British woman. attorney Simone White.
Another 14 tourists who had been drinking in the area developed methanol poisoning within days of each other.
It has since been revealed that a third Australian also fell ill in the alleged poisoning incident and is recovering in hospital.
They are reported to be in a stable condition and are receiving support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
According to the country’s embassy in Bangkok, a New Zealand citizen who was among those poisoned also left Laos and returned home.