Crew members reportedly working for Virgin Australia were allegedly sexually assaulted and robbed in one of Fiji’s nightclub areas on New Year’s Day, the island country’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka announced.
Allegedly, two of the foreign airlines’ crew members were assaulted and another was robbed on Wednesday morning in a nightclub area in the city of Nadi, Gavoka, who also serves as Fiji’s Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, said in a Facebook post shared on Wednesday.
“Our thoughts and concerns are with them and for their health and well-being,” Gavoka said. “These alleged incidents are regrettable.”
The Fiji Police Force did question a suspect for the alleged sexual assaults, according to Gavoka. The deputy prime minister also debunked reports that the crew is being “detained,” calling the information “incorrect and false.”
Gavoka did not say which airline the crew worked for, but CBS News and the Guardian identified the airline as Virgin Australia. Virgin staff were sent to Nadi to provide support, and family members of the affected crew were reportedly also flying to Fiji, according to the outlets.
USA TODAY contacted the Fiji Police Force and Virgin Australia on Thursday but did not receive a response.
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Gavoka: ‘Regrettably, incidents like this can happen anywhere’
Gavoka stated that the crew is “in good health” as they are being accommodated at a local hotel which is the nominated crew accommodation for layovers. Their headquarters advised the three affected crew members to stay within the hotel’s vicinity to “ensure contactability and assist with police investigations,” he added.
According to Gavoka, the crew members should return home before the end of this week.
“Regrettably, incidents like this can happen anywhere and Fiji is not immune,” he said. “We, as always, remind tourists to exercise caution in nightclub areas and late at night.”
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.