Fiji poisoning: Australian mum, daughter hospitalised in suspected alcohol poisoning return from island

A mother and daughter are believed to be recovering back on Australian soil following a suspected poisoning in Fiji which hospitalised them and several others.

Grandfather David Sandoe was spotted at Sydney’s international arrivals terminal on Monday evening as flights from the Pacific nation approached.

He earlier told media his daughter Tanya and granddaughter Georgia were on their way home after being hospitalised.

Receiving news his daughter and granddaughter had been hospitalised was a “very difficult” phone call to take.

“It’s your worst nightmare,” he told ABC News on Monday.

One traveller returning from Fiji said it was shocking to hear of a suspected poisoning somewhere families went on holidays, following the recent deaths of two Australians from methanol poisoning in Laos.

The incident has renewed calls for travellers to be wary of drink spiking or other additives when travelling overseas.

Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka said the isolated incident was being thoroughly investigated.

“While we understand the concern, we want to emphasise that the tourism experience in Fiji is typically very safe and we have acted immediately to try and discover the cause of what made these guests at this resort fall ill,” he said.

Seven people were hospitalised, including two others believed to be also Australians.

But Mr Gavoka told ABC television on Monday night one of the two was a girl from Fiji.

“They’re both stable,” he said, adding they were in Lautoka Hospital.

“Lautoka is managed by a Canberra-based company and provides Australian standards in terms of medical care.

“So we all have confidence that they are now stable and that they will come out OK.”

Mr Gavoka said it was the first time such a thing had happened in Fiji, adding that the victims had been drinking pina colada cocktails made with local rum and that the bar server who made them had more than 15 years of experience.

“We are really determined to find out what (happened) ... because tourism is our number one in this country and we are approaching Christmas and New Year,” he said.

The Warwick Fiji resort where the suspected poisoning occurred said it was committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of guests.

“Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation,” it told AAP in a statement.

The hospitalisations are believed to be linked to a serving of cocktails at the resort on the Coral Coast, a tourism hot spot on the archipelago’s largest island Viti Levu.

It follows the death of two Australians in Laos, among other victims of a suspected mass ethanol poisoning.

Travellers have been advised to be alert to potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning in revised guidance.