Women on 10 flights from Qatar forced to undergo ‘invasive’ examinations

Women on 10 flights from Qatar forced to undergo ‘invasive’ examinations

Female passengers on 10 planes flying out of Doha were forced to endure invasive physical examinations, Australia's foreign minister said Wednesday, as Qatari authorities expressed regret for the distress caused to the women.







Qatar had already been under immense pressure after it was revealed that women were removed from a Sydney-bound Qatar Airways flight and forced to undergo vaginal inspections in the search for a newborn baby who had been abandoned at Doha airport.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne then announced Wednesday that the planes targeted was much greater than first thought. 

She told parliament that women on "10 aircraft in total" had been subject to the searches, which she had earlier described as "grossly disturbing" and "offensive".

Payne said 18 women -- including 13 Australians -- on a the