Virgin Australia staff not detained in Fiji after theft, sexual assault complaint, says government

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Three Virgin Australia [IPO-VIR.AX] staff are not being detained by Fijian police investigating an alleged sexual assault and theft during a layover, said the Fiji government, but added they had been advised by their headquarters to stay in their hotel.

The Fiji government said in a statement that international media reports that the crew are being detained were incorrect.

"The crew, who are in good health, are being accommodated at a local hotel which is the nominated crew accommodation for layovers," said the statement by Fijian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Viliame Gavoka.

"The three crew members were also advised by their Headquarters to remain within the hotel vicinity to ensure contactability and assist with police investigations; they should return home before the end of this week."

Virgin declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

The Fiji government has said police are investigating separate incidents involving the Virgin crew in the city of Nadi in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The Virgin employees were a male and a female, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported, adding the female was the victim of an alleged sexual assault and the male was the victim of an alleged theft outside a nightclub they had attended.

Virgin flew out additional staff to crew the return aircraft flight instead of the staff involved in the alleged incidents manning the plane, Australian media reported.

The ABC named the nightclub near where the alleged incidents took place as Bar One, which did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on Friday. Fiji Police also did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Michael Perry)