CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses alleged sexual assault.
Three Virgin Australia crew members have been confined to their hotel rooms in Nadi, Fiji after an allegedly troubling situation during a night out.
The incident allegedly occurred on New Year’s Eve, when the crew members were celebrating at a local nightclub called Bar One during their layover, as reported by ABC.
Following their night out, they claimed to have been victims of theft and sexual assault.
Fiji’s acting police commissioner, Juki Fong Chew, confirmed that authorities are investigating the allegations. He stated, “Unfortunately, two of the crew members were victims of an alleged theft and rape after exiting the nightclub trying to find their way back to the hotel.”
It is alleged a male crew member was robbed and a woman crew member was sexually assaulted. The man was reportedly taken to hospital with facial injuries.
This investigation is still ongoing, with local suspects being considered.
The three crew members have been separated according to multiple reports and are currently confined to their accommodations at Hotel Tanoa, near Nadi International Airport.
A Virgin Australia spokesperson informed NewsWire, that the crew had been “advised to stay” in their hotel rooms. They clarified that they are “not detained” as earlier reports suggested that they had been restricted to their rooms at the hotel, per News.com.au.
In response to the situation, Virgin Australia has sent support staff to Fiji and arranged for family members of the affected crew to travel to the island according to 7News. Additionally, a replacement team has been dispatched to operate the flight back to Australia.
The Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia expressed concern for the crew’s well-being and noted that while incidents like this are rare, they do occur. Teri O’Toole, federal secretary of the association, urged people not to speculate about the incident while investigations are underway.
“I believe these crew were on what we would call an overnight, so they would get to Fiji, wait and (their) flight would leave the next day,” O’Toole told AAP.
“It’s very disturbing for their friends and colleagues, everyone is very concerned for their welfare.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has acknowledged awareness of the incident but stated they cannot provide additional comments due to privacy obligations.
Lead image: Getty Images / Bar One Instagram
Help is available.
- If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
- If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
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