'We've heard nothing': Parents of Melbourne teenagers fatally poisoned in Laos demand answers

Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, both died after ingesting tainted alcohol in the tourist town of Vang Vieng in November.

Six tourists in total died after drinking the methanol-laced spirit. The Australian teens and several others were staying at the popular Nana Backpacker Hostel, which has since closed down.

The Bowles and Jones families have now joined a morbid club of loved ones scattered across the globe asking one question: How could this have happened?

Bianca's heartbroken father Mark Jones told Tara Brown on 60 Minutes the past few months have been hell – and they're no closer to finding out the truth.

"It's still hard to believe she's not coming home. You wake up every morning, expecting her to walk out of her room," Mark said.

"It's been pretty tough."

Mark, along with his wife Michelle and Holly's parents Sam and Shaun Bowles, are still mystified over the Laos government's silence.

They want the communist state of Laos to be transparent in its investigation, and to be dedicated to finding justice for their daughters.

"We've heard nothing. So I can't be confident about anything," Mark said.

Shaun, Holly's father, added: "The Laos government sent their condolences via the federal police, and that to us means nothing, nothing at all.

"For them not to reach out is, that's just not good enough."

After the Nana Backpacker Hostel was closed down and eight staff who were detained were released, the investigation into the six deaths has seemingly stalled.

All four parents said they had no confidence the truth could ever be revealed.

"I cannot have my daughter's passing not mean anything," Mark added.

"We want some form of closure. We want to understand that people who have done wrong by our daughter and Holly and the other people are going to be brought to justice."

Young Danish woman Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman also lost her life after ingesting the methanol-laced alcohol in Vang Vieng.

Her parents Anne-Marie and Didier joined Holly and Bianca's parents in a plea for the Laos government to update them on the investigation.

"Her life has stopped because of a situation that could easily have been avoided and should not have happened," Anne-Marie said.

"There is a feeling of a cover-up, instead of taking immediate action.

"Was it a mistake [by the] distillery, was it intent? Was it done [on] purpose? Where was no information coming out at that time," she added.

"And there's still none."

Watch the full story on 9Now.