Aussie woman in hospital as new Fiji cocktail detail emerges
An Australian woman remains in Fiji’s Lautoka Hospital after it was revealed that the poisoned Pina Coladas served at a five-star resort were made with a local rum.
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Fiji’s tourism minister has expressed “disbelief” that methanol could have been responsible for Saturday’s poisoning of seven tourists, while two of the victims – including one Australian woman – remain in intensive care.
The health ministry and police force were investigating the cause of the incident,
Viliame Gavoka told AFP, adding that results from “critical” toxicology tests normally take three or four days.
“Everyone is in a state of disbelief that this has happened,” he said. Asked whether the illness might be related to methanol poisoning, Mr Gavoka said that was “something that we don’t believe is possible in Fiji”.
While declining to speculate about the cause, he said it was a “very isolated incident”.
Fijian tourism, which attracts close to a million people each year, was “typically very safe”, he said.
The minister said he did not believe it was the result of any deliberate action.
Two Sydneysiders who were treated after drinking tainted alcohol, Georgia Sandoe-Simpson, 19, and her mother Tanya, were released from Lautoka Hospital on Monday and immediately returned to Sydney.
Another Australian was also expected to return home on Tuesday.
Two patients – including one Australian woman – remain in Lautoka Hospital in a “stable condition” in intensive care, Mr Gavoka told a news conference on Tuesday.
The Suva Pool Bar at the five-star Warwick Resort was empty on Tuesday, but sources have helped reveal the moments that led up to Saturday’s incident when toxic Pina Coladas turned a holiday into a nightmare for four Australians.
The Warwick Resort’s Suva Pool Bar was heaving.
“People were everywhere, it was full. It happened on the adult pool side, everyone was having a good time,” a source at the Warwick Resort said.
“It was Saturday, they were having a party.”
The white shelves on the bar that usually would be filled with dozens of bottles of spirits had been cleared away.
The stylish pool, which overlooks the ocean, still had some people enjoying a swim but there were no drinks in sight.
The Warwick Resort had banned the sale of cocktails.
“People want to order cocktails, they still want their cocktails, they said don’t do the Pina Coladas just do the other stuff,” a source said.
“We have other drinks, there’s beers, there’s Coronas, Asahi, there’s other beers as well and wine, but just don’t risk the spirits.”
The poisonings in Fiji have come less than a month after six people, including Australian teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, died of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos.
They had been staying at Nana Backpackers, which offered free shots of Tiger Vodka, which is made in Laos, to guests.
The Pina Coladas served to the seven poisoning victims at the Warwick Resort were made with Fiji produced Bounty Rum.
The “tasting notes” on the bottle say: “Clear and bright with a fresh aroma showing hints of vanilla and coconut. Ideal to bring freshness and vitality to any cocktail.”
The drinks also included pineapple juice and a vanilla powder that was a substitute for coconut cream because it was an “expensive” ingredient.
Fiji police have taken samples of the rum and the other ingredients in the tainted cocktails.
The bartender who poured the drinks for the poisoning victims was distraught, a friend said.
“You should see the lady who poured the drinks,” a source said.
“I feel sorry for her, she was really scared. I said don’t worry, you didn’t do anything, you’ve got cameras around.
“It’s never happened before in Fiji, spiking drinks. Especially a family resort, kids are always around, mothers, fathers, grandparents.
“It was very disappointing.”
The Warwick Resort has been a long established hotel on Fiji’s Coral Coast although it was previously owned by another chain.
The company released a statement on Tuesday saying it was “deeply concerned” that seven of its guests had fallen ill.
“As a business that has proudly traded in Fiji for almost 40 years, this is an unprecedented event for us,” the resort said.
“We take the safety of our guests very seriously. We are currently working jointly with the authorities to determine what caused this unfortunate incident.”
The hotel, which charges up to $500 a night, was still taking guests this week, however, it was not full. Guests could be seen snorkelling, paddle boarding, while bus loads of tourists were picked up for waterfall and river tours.
Previous guests who have stayed at the resort said it had dropped in quality since being taken over by the Paris-based Warwick group, which also has hotels in New York and London.
“The Warwick changed immensely,” one former guest said.
TWO PEOPLE - INCLUDING AN AUSTRALIAN - REMAIN IN HOSPITAL
A Fijian health ministry spokesperson said five of the seven patients had been released from hospital by Monday evening.
The two patients remaining in Lautoka Hospital were in a “stable condition” in intensive care.
Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill on Tuesday morning said one of the patients remaining in hospital is an Australian.
Mr Hill said both patients were “stable” and “responding well to treatment”.
“It’s a very isolated incident, we’ve never had something like this happen before,” Mr Hill told Sunrise.
‘FELT AS THOUGH I HAD A THOUSAND DRINKS’: FIJI TOURISTS’ ICED TEA HELL
A holidaymaker who stayed at the luxury Fiji resort at the centre of a mass poisoning involving four Australians has described feeling “drugged” after drinking “Fijian iced teas”.
The man, who did not want to be identified, said he blacked out and suffered from blurred vision after consuming “Fijian iced teas” at the Warwick resort in October.
“The vodka didn’t taste like vodka, it was almost chemically and smelled like methylated spirits,” he said.
“I had a mixture of cocktails, but this felt as though I had about a thousand drinks. It was almost like I’d been drugged, like the date rape drug or something.”
He woke the following morning feeling confused, sick and disoriented. He was nauseous, had blurred vision and was incoherent.
His son, 22, had the same drink and similar symptoms, but not to the same degree.
The holidaymaker also said his family visited the resort about two years ago and it was excellent, but appeared to have fallen into disrepair under new management.
“There were some broken steps, the wood was rotting in places, the pool was green and it smelled terrible,” he said.
RESORT ADVERTISED CHRISTMAS PROGRAM HOURS AFTER INCIDENT
Within about half an hour of the group being hospitalised on Saturday, the resort’s festive season program was uploaded to the business’ Facebook page. There was no mention of the incident.
“Get ready for a magical festive season filled with joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories,” the post read.
“From exciting activities for the kids to indulgent dining experiences, we’ve got something for everyone to make this Christmas truly special.”
Guests started commenting on the post when the incident made headlines on Sunday, asking where the hotel sourced its alcohol and why staff had not released a statement.
A resort spokesperson later told this masthead there were “no conclusive details” about the incident.
“We are aware of the recent news regarding suspected alcohol poisoning,” they said.
“Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation. We are also awaiting the health authorities test result report to gather all necessary information.
“At this moment, we do not have conclusive details, but we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our guests.
“We will keep you updated as more information becomes available. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time.”
The Fijian government then released a statement to say the incident was “extremely isolated” and reminded tourists the country is typically a safe destination.
“The Ministry for Tourism and Civil Aviation, together with the Ministry of Health & Medical Services, want to acknowledge the serious health incident that occurred at a resort on the Coral Coast, where seven guests presented with illness after consuming a cocktail at one of the resort’s bars,” the statement read.
“Our thoughts are with the affected guests and their families during this time, and we are ensuring that they receive the best medical care possible. We are reassured that their condition this morning was stable, and we do hope their condition continues to improve.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said DFAT officials were in contact with the Australians and their families.
“Fiji police are investigating to determine the cause of the illnesses, and we’ll try to keep people updated as that investigation continues,” he said.
He urged Australians planning to travel to Fiji this summer to check Smartraveler as the government’s advice for the Pacific nation had changed to include a warning about potential drink spiking and the risk of methanol poisoning.
RESORT SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INCIDENT
Earlier, staff at the Sigatoka Hospital confirmed that all patients from the Warwick Resort, which charges $500 a night, fell ill on Saturday and had been transferred on Sunday.
“They have already been transferred to Lautoka Hospital, it’s a tertiary hospital, a bigger hospital,” a staff member said. “All of them went.”
The Lautoka Hospital is a 30-minute drive from Fiji’s Nadi International Airport.
On Monday, a resort spokesperson said there were “no conclusive details” about the incident.
“We are aware of the recent news regarding suspected alcohol poisoning,” they said.
“Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation. We are also awaiting the health authorities test result report to gather all necessary information.
“At this moment, we do not have conclusive details, but we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our guests.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the news out of Fiji was “very concerning”.
“We’re thinking of the friends and family of the people who are affected,” he said.
“This is no doubt a very distressing time for them.”
Mr Chalmers said DFAT officials were in contact with the Australians and their families.
“Fiji police are investigating to determine the cause of the illnesses, and we’ll try to keep people updated as that investigation continues,” he said.
Mr Chalmers urged Australians planning to travel to Fiji this summer to check Smartraveler as the government’s advice for the Pacific nation had changed to include a warning about potential drink spiking and the risk of methanol poisoning.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokeswoman confirmed two Australian families are receiving consular assistance in Fiji.
“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,” she said.
Staff at the Warwick said they are stunned that people became ill at their resort.
“We are trying to get to the bottom of it right now,” a staff member said on Sunday night.
“We don’t have any information, right now we can’t disclose any information.”
POLICE TAKE SAMPLES OF ALCOHOL FROM RESORT
Crime Scene Investigators were at the hotel on Sunday, an officer at the Sigatoka Police Station confirmed.
“Yes, we are investigating, police were at the hotel today,” the officer said. “They took samples of the alcohol and they have been sent off for testing.”
The Sigatoka Police Station is a 37-minute drive from the Warwick Hotel. A source in Fiji said police had been seen combing the resort on Sunday.
“They have a wedding at the Warwick on Monday, a lot of people are staying there,” a source said.
“The Warwick is really far, it’s not close to town. A lot of people stay at the Outrigger and they have no complaints.”
The incident occurred just a month after six people died of suspected methanol poisoning at the Nana Backpackers hostel in Laos last month.
The Laos poisonings have resulted in 11 people being detained, but no charges have yet been laid.
The Fiji incident happened at a high end resort, which guests would normally expect to serve safe alcoholic drinks.
The Warwick Resort is part of an international chain, with hotels in New York, London, Doha, Paris, Beirut and Saudi Arabia.
The company has several hotels in Fiji and The Warwick Resort’s website claims it offered a luxury stay.
“The Warwick Fiji won’t just set the standard for your Fijian experience, it will exceed it … as we have been doing for nearly 40 years,” its website said.
“With some of the highest rated restaurants in all of Fiji in one location, enjoy pre-dinner drinks at our beautiful Sunset Terrace bar, a romantic dinner at the famous Wicked Walu, our private island seafood restaurant, take in a showstopping teppanyaki performance or indulge in mouth-watering sushi at Sazanami, partake in a flavourful plate of pasta and other Italian creations at Pappagallo, or experience the wide variety the buffet offers at Bula Brasserie before finishing the evening with after dinner drinks at our Hibiscus lounge.”
On Sunday the government’s Smartraveler site updated its advice for Fiji.
“Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks in Fiji,” the agency said in a post shared on X.
“Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking.”
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