Doha, Qatar Photo: CNSphoto

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 number of 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 October 2 flight to Sydney were affected, along with "other foreign nationals."

She did not detail the destinations of the other flights, adding that she was unaware if any Australian women were on those planes.

Frances Adamson, head of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that there was "distress, abhorrence and deep questioning of how this can have happened."

Officials said Australia was also working "very closely" with other countries to jointly raise concerns with Doha but refused to name those countries, citing privacy concerns of women on the Sydney-bound flight.

"There is a very strong, likeminded view about this - other countries affected absolutely share Australia's views and the strength of Australia's views," Adamson said.

AFP