Alleged attack on Virgin Australia flight crew being investigated by Fijian police
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Airline sends support staff to Nadi after reports of assault during a night out in the early hours of 1 January. Fijian authorities are investigating allegations Virgin Australia crew were assaulted and robbed while celebrating New Year’s Eve, as a union expressed concern for their welfare.
The airline has sent support staff to Fiji amid reports three crew members were allegedly attacked while out clubbing in Nadi in the early hours of 1 January. The crew members have since been confined to their hotel rooms near Nadi international airport, the Fiji Sun reported.
Fiji’s acting police commissioner, Juki Fong Chew, told the local newspaper officers were investigating allegations of theft and assault. The Flight Attendants’ Association of Australia’s federal secretary, Teri O’Toole, said it appeared the airline had acted very quickly and her union was ready to assist in any way.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. However she said the union was yet to receive any official approaches for assistance. “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,” she told AAP.
O’Toole said there had been a lot of guesswork about what had happened and urged people not to speculate on the incident and respect the crew’s privacy during the police investigation. “This is not a very common thing but it’s not something that’s never happened before, either,” she said.
