‘Just amazing’: Natalie Barr breaks down as parents of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles speak out

Sunrise host Natalie Barr has broken down after the parents of Melbourne teens Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles returned home with their bodies. Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, both 19, died in Thai hospitals last week after falling ill with suspected methanol poisoning. The pair, who were on a “trip of a lifetime” travelling across Southeast Asia, are believed to have consumed tainted alcohol while staying in popular tourist hotspot Vang Vieng in Laos. The suspected poisoning also took the lives of four other international tourists: a British woman, an American man and two Danes. A third Australian has also become ill following the suspected poisoning, according to The Guardian. On Tuesday, it was announced that eight men, aged 23-47, had been arrested over the suspected mass methanol poisoning. As the arrests were announced, the bodies of Ms Jones and Ms Bowles landed at Melbourne airport. Their parents, who were on the same flight, spoke to the media, with Ms Jones’s father Mark saying he was happy to hear there’d been updates in the investigation. “We want to grieve, we miss our daughters desperately,” Mr Jones said. “I was happy to hear that there’s been some movement over in Laos, we cannot have our girls passing and this continuing to happen.” Barr broke down watching a video of Mr Jones speaking at the airport with Ms Bowles’s father, commending the pair. “Watching those two dads have to do that and have to face the media, it’s just amazing, isn’t it?” Barr said on Sunrise on Wednesday morning. “Our hearts go out to all those families and the friends affected. “Let’s hope justice is served here.” Eight men have been were arrested following the suspected poisonings, including staff members and managers at the hostel where all six of the tourists are believed to have stayed. The eight men arrested are aged 23, 28, 34, 35, 38, 42, 44 and 47. The Laotian government earlier released a statement on Saturday saying it was “profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists”. “The government of the Lao PDR has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law,” it said. Mr Jones had urged the Laos government to investigate the incident “to the fullest extent”. “We can’t have the passing of our daughter … not lead to change to protect others,” he said. Vang Vieng has been a popular holiday spot backpackers for years. Ms Jones and Ms Bowles had travelled to the small town 130km north of Vientiane earlier this month as part of their adventure. The teenagers’ “lust for life and adventure” had “cruelly been cut short”. “Our daughter was on the trip of a lifetime with one of her best mates,” Mr Jones said. “This was meant to be a trip full of lifelong memories and was to be the first of many. “Bianca wanted to explore the world, meet new friends, lead and create change for good.” The pair died in separate hospitals after being found sick in their room at the Nana Backpacker Hostel on November 13.