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A New Zealand woman is said to have been one of the victims of the invasive unclothed search incident at Qatar’s Doha airport.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) has confirmed that a New Zealand citizen “was involved in the terrible incident that involved female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights.”
“This action was completely unacceptable,” a Mfat spokesman said, adding that the ministry is “extremely concerned.”
“We are making our views known to the Qatari authorities and are seeking a full report on what happened,” the spokesman added.
Numerous passengers underwent “invasive” physical exams on October 2, after a premature baby was found alive in one of the airport toilets.
A search for the baby’s mother saw several female passengers forced to undergo invasive gynecological exams without any explanation.
The invasive search engines were reportedly carried out on passengers from 10 flights at Doha airport that day.
An estimated 18 Australian women were also registered without clothing.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne gave the updated figure during a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday.
Senator Payne also revealed that passengers on 10 planes in Doha that day were searched after a premature baby was found in an airport bathroom.
An official from the Department of Foreign Affairs, who was among the affected but unregistered women, was the first to raise the alarm to Australian authorities shortly after the incident occurred on 2 October.
Officials seek to clarify the number of Australian women who were physically examined.
Payne said Monday it was a “tremendously disturbing and offensive series of events.”
“We have made our views very clear to the Qatari authorities on this matter,” he said.
The New Zealand Embassy in Abu Dhabi is in contact with the New Zealander involved in the incident.
