A Fijian nightclub a Virgin flight crew visited before one was allegedly raped and another allegedly assaulted said it is the victim of a ‘negative portrayal’.
Fiji’s deputy prime minister also said he is concerned with the impact the alleged incident will have on the resort island’s reputation.
The woman and man were allegedly attacked in the tourist town of Nadi, on the resort island’s scenic west coast, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The 21-year-old Melbourne woman became separated from the rest of her crew during a night out in Martintar, a popular entertainment district in Nadi.
The male crew member was allegedly robbed and received facial injuries in a separate incident following the new year’s celebrations.
A man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of the woman on Saturday and will face Nadi Magistrates Court on Monday.
In a social media post on Sunday, the nightclub said it’s ‘important to clarify that this incident did not take place within Bar One, nor in the immediate vicinity of our establishment’.
‘The Virgin Airlines Crew are regular customers at Bar One and we have never experienced any similar incidents in the past,’ the post read.
‘So it is disheartening to see our establishment portrayed in a negative light due to circumstances that is not directly related to our bar.’
The Bar One Facebook post also asked ‘loyal customers’ to share its statement to ‘encourage others to inform the media as well’.
Fiji’s deputy prime minister Viliame Gavoka sympathised with the alleged victims earlier this week.
He said a suspect who was ‘known to police’ had been questioned in relation to both encounters.
‘Our thoughts and concerns are with (the crew members) and for their health and well-being. These alleged incidents are regrettable,’ Mr Gavoka said.
‘The crew, who are in good health, are being accommodated at a local hotel which is the nominated crew accommodation for layovers.’
The Virgin crew was staying at the Tanoa Hotel Nadi when the incident occurred.
Mr Gavoka, who is also the tourism minister, said he was concerned the incidents could damage the island nation’s reputation as a holiday destination.
‘Regrettably, incidents like this can happen anywhere and Fiji is not immune. We remind tourists to exercise caution in nightclub areas and late at night,’ he said.
The alleged incidents came just weeks after Fiji attracted negative headlines around the world when seven tourists – including four ns – were hospitalised after drinking pina coladas at a bar in the ritzy Warwick Resort last month.
Four n women aged between 18 and 56 ended up in a critical condition in hospital after consuming the drinks at the five-star resort.
They suffered nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms with one victim’s friend telling Daily Mail that she was ‘foaming at the mouth’ and having seizures.
Mr Gavoka said a toxicology report had cleared the cocktails – and the source of the poisoning remains a mystery.
‘I can confirm that no illicit substances or methanol were found in the ingredients or liquor samples,’ he said.
‘All of the affected tourists and the locals have now been discharged from medical care, fully recovered. This is a significant relief.’
The Virgin crew members have since left Fiji.