Five-year-old Lilly Wal drowned in Fiji after being swept away by strong currents at Biauseva Waterfall. Photo / Fiji Police
Five-year-old Lilly Wal drowned in Fiji after being swept away by strong currents at Biauseva Waterfall. Photo / Fiji Police
An Australian schoolgirl has died while on holiday with her family in Fiji after being swept away and drowning at a popular tourist watering hole.
Five-year-old Lilly Wal was swept away by strong currents while exploring the Biauseva Waterfall in Sigatoka on January 13.
Her body was recovered along theBiausevu river the following day, local authorities confirmed.
But Lilly’s family has alleged local tour operators knowingly led the young girl and her relatives into a dangerous situation without adequately informing them of the risk, despite other tourist groups cancelling their planned crossings of the waterfall due to torrential rainfall.
Lilly’s cousin Chiara Subek took to social media to detail the family’s heartbreak at losing the young girl, writing: “ … what was meant to be a beautiful getaway for my aunty and her little family instead became the most traumatic experience”.
She claimed Lilly’s passing was “due to a complete failure in duty of care”.
“The family was never properly briefed on the risks, never given safety warnings, and never told what to do if it started raining, despite locals later telling us that people are not supposed to go up to the waterfall when it is raining,” Ms Subek wrote.
The waterfall is popular tourist spot. Photo / Facebook
She claimed the family had been taken up to the waterfall with “no preparation, no proper guidance, no clear safety protocols”, alleging they were led up the trail by a child, who was not affiliated with the tour guide company.
“On top of this mess, the tour guide company involved were clearly more focused on money than safety, overcharging my aunty and pushing the experience through despite the risks,” Ms Subek wrote.
“After Lilly’s passing, there was a shocking lack of accountability and compassion.
“The village chief did not once reach out to my aunty at all, acknowledge what happened, or take responsibility, and there was no proper response from local leadership or police.
“There was also a complete lack of action from the police when the incident happened.”
Ms Subek claimed the police blamed Lilly’s family for the young girl’s passing.
“This investigation has not been taken seriously at all, and it truly feels like they are trying to brush it aside … this is about duty of care, tourist safety, and protecting children and families,” Ms Subek wrote.
“We want accountability, awareness, and change, so no other family ever has to experience this pain. We need justice for our sweet Lilly.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to the family.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,” a spokeswoman told the Courier Mail.
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