Melbourne man in custody over stabbing death of French tourist in Australian outback

A Melbourne man is in custody on Friday over the stabbing death of a French tourist in the Australian outback.

The French tourist, traveling through the Northern Territory outback with his partner, was beset upon and killed by the Victorian man on Wednesday.

Detective Superintendent Travis Wurst from the Northern Territory Police said the deadly incident occurred at Connor Well, a truck stop approximately 100 kilometers north of the small city of Alice Springs.

"It is believed that two French tourists, a couple, were at a rest stop, 30 kilometers south of the Aileron Roadhouse on the Stuart Highway when they were approached by an unknown man," Wurst said in comments published in Friday's newspapers.

"The man has allegedly then stabbed the male tourist to the neck, in an unprovoked attack. The male passed away at the scene."

Wurst said the man's wife was being treated for shock at the Alice Springs Hospital, where the alleged attacker, Pande Veleski, was also being monitored under police custody.

"Police will continue to speak to a number of witnesses to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death," he added.

According to the French consulate-general, the French government is continuing to provide ongoing support to the victim's family.

"Our immediate thoughts go to the family of the victim to whom we send our most sincere condolences," the consulate-general said in a statement. Endit