The suspects in an alleged gang rape incident at a luxury hotel in Egypt's capital, Cairo, have fled the country, according to the public prosecutor.

Seven of the suspects left in July when reports about the rape started circulating online.

This was a month before the rape victim filed an official complaint, the prosecutor said, adding that the country was taking international measures to pursue the seven suspects.

The prosecution is also searching for two other suspects who have not been located.

The alleged gang rape happened at Cairo’s Fairmont Nile City hotel in 2014 where the nine men are suspected to have drugged and raped a young woman.

The incident was exposed online by an Instagram account that has been outing rapists.

The prosecutor urged rape victims to first make official complaints before circulating reports online. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy BBC)