An Australian mother and daughter who became sick after drinking a suspected spiked or poisoned cocktail in Fiji are returning to Australia.
A group of seven tourists, including four Australians, one American and two other tourists, fell ill over the weekend after drinking at a five-star resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast.
David Sandoe’s daughter Tanya and granddaughter Georgia were among those who became sick.
Speaking from his Sydney home to Sky News on Monday, Mr Sandoe said Georgia had a “brief” seizure after consuming the tainted drink, and her mother was also sick but less so.
The pair have been discharged from hospital in Fiji and are expected to land in Sydney on Monday night.
The tourists who became sick were drinking at the Warwick Resort in Fiji. Picture: Supplied
Mr Sandoe immediately thought of a seemingly similar incident in Laos that claimed the lives of six people, including two 19-year-olds from Melbourne.
“When this news broke we all thought back to what’s recently happened in Asia, which sends shivers down your spine, so we’re so grateful and very fortunate,” Mr Sandoe said.
Reporting by the ABC points to vodka and whisky made at a run-down factory outside the Laos capital as the cause of that methanol poisoning incident. However, Laos police have arrested 11 people who were working at the hostel where the tourists consumed the tainted drinks.
Speaking about the Fijian incident, Mr Sandoe said police and the hotel staff had been helpful since the group became sick.
David Sandoe says his daughter and granddaughter are expected to land back in Sydney on Monday night. Picture: Supplied
“I must say … I spoke to the hotel and they were right onto it and the police were investigating, and they’ve been fantastic in making sure the people affected are being looked after.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had also been very helpful, the grandfather said.
“We’re none the wiser but the investigation is continuing and we’ll wait for the verdict. All we’re concerned about is making sure we get our loved ones home,” he said.
“And for those others who are not as fortunate as us to have them back today, we’re still feeling for them because it is a horrific experience.”
Mr Sandoe had been told the other Australians who ended up in hospital were from northern NSW.
Toxicology reports for his daughter and granddaughter had not been finalised yet, Mr Sandoe said. They were transferred to a larger hospital in Fiji with better facilities but discharged on Monday morning, he said.
The patients were taken to hospital with varying degrees of “nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms”, the Australian government said.
David Sandoe says hotel staff, Fijian police and Australian foreign affairs staff have been helpful since the group became sick. Picture: Supplied
The Sandoe family were unsure if their daughter and granddaughter would need further treatment in Australia.
“As a family, we’ve been to Fiji many times. It’s just a wonderful place and we cannot speak highly enough about Fiji, so this is a complete shock to us and very unlike what’s happened before there. Hopefully, it is a once-off and they’ll get to the bottom of it.”