Fijian police are investigating allegations of theft and sexual assault of two Virgin Australia crew members in the early hours of New Year’s Day, the government said on Thursday.
The alleged attacks took place on Wednesday in the nightclub area of the city of Nadi, home to the international airport, Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka said.
“The alleged incidents are deplorable,” Gavoka said statement.
“There were two separate alleged incidents, one an alleged theft and the other an alleged sexual assault, that involved two different crew members,” he said.
“The suspect known to the police for the alleged sexual assault has been questioned. The investigation is ongoing.”
The crew members are staying at a local hotel used by the airline for layovers and should return home this week after assisting the police investigation, the minister said.
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Virgin Australia has sent representatives to Fiji to provide support to affected staff.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Reuters news agency it was aware of the reports, but declined to comment further.
Gavoka, who is also the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, said such attacks could happen anywhere and that Fiji was not “immune”.
“As always, we remind tourists to be careful around nightclubs and late at night,” he said.
Latest crime statistics announced by Fiji Police in November it showed that the crime rate for the month of October increased by 6% compared to the same period last year.
Fiji relies heavily on its tourism industry, with close to a million visitors a year.
Last month there were seven foreign tourists, including one American hospitalized in Fiji after sipping cocktails at the resort bar. However, the authorities later said that the tourists were he is not poisoned by alcohol or illegal drugs, officials said after a toxicology report.
