Fiji police are currently investigating two separate incidents involving Virgin Australia crew members that occurred on New Year’s Day. The incidents, which involve allegations of theft and sexual assault, took place in the nightclub district of Nadi, a city home to Fiji’s main international airport.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka, both incidents occurred on January 1, and affected two different crew members. He expressed regret over the situations, stating, “The alleged incidents are regrettable. There were two separate alleged incidents, one being alleged theft and the other being alleged sexual assault, which affected two different crew members.”
Authorities have already questioned a suspect in relation to the alleged sexual assault, and investigations into both cases are still ongoing. The affected crew members are currently staying at a local hotel used by Virgin Australia for their layovers, and are expected to return to Australia later in the week after cooperating with the police inquiry.
Virgin Australia has sent representatives to Fiji to provide support to the affected staff. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to release a statement on the matter. Gavoka, who is also Fiji’s minister for tourism and civil aviation, reminded tourists to exercise caution, especially in nightclub areas and during late hours. He acknowledged that incidents like these can happen anywhere and emphasized that Fiji is no exception, despite the country’s heavy reliance on tourism, which attracts nearly a million visitors annually.
