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AKASSAR: An official said Thursday that no trace of methanol had been found inside the barracks of three Russian technicians alleged to have died from drinking the toxic alcohol, which can be used as antifreeze or a solvent.

“We have received reports that no containers or methanol-like liquids were found on the scene,” Sultan Hasanuddin Air Base commander Rear Marshall Agus Supriatna said.

“They might have drank outside. We banned them from having or drinking alcohol on base after their arrival on Sept. 5,” he said.

A plastic bottle containing a yellow, odorless liquid found at the scene had been sent to the police’s laboratory in Jakarta, he said.

Following the deadly incident on Monday, two other were rushed to hospitals for treatment the following day. The troika were part of a technical team sent to Makassar to process the transfer of Russian-built Sukhoi fight jets to the Indonesian Military. — JP