Coronavirus: Uncertainty for 600 Britons stranded on board COVID-19 infected cruise ship

Derrick Santistevan

600 Britons are amongst more than 900 individuals stranded on board a cruise ship 25 miles off the coast of the Bahamas.

There have been 5 confirmed instances of COVID-19 on the Braemar, and different passengers have reported feeling unwell.

The ship – run by British agency Fred Olsen Cruise Traces – has been denied permission to dock and permit passengers to disembark at Freeport within the Bahamas. It has anchored at an island to permit a restock of meals, gasoline and drugs for these on board.

It’s understood the agency is now contemplating travelling throughout the Atlantic to Southampton, which may take as much as 10 days.

A letter from the British Overseas and Commonwealth Workplace was delivered to the more than 600 British nationals on board, saying they’re urgently working with Fred Olsen Cruise Traces and the authorities within the area on preparations for the ship and the way finest to get them home secure.

Picture:
Inside a cabin on Braemar which is stranded 25 miles off the coast of the Bahamas

Folks on board have been struggling to contact family as a result of restricted wi-fi. Sky News has managed to contact quite a lot of individuals on board.

Steve Dale, 68, from Essex is worried about catching coronavirus, as he suffered from Legionnaires illness some years in the past.

He informed Sky News: “There is some concern about not knowing what is going to happen to us, and not knowing when or how we are going to get home. It’s frustrating that we can’t rely on the internet.”

Angela Phipps and her husband Peter are on the cruise to rejoice Peter’s 81st birthday. They boarded in St Maartens, saying there’s quite a lot of confusion.





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She mentioned: “We set off for Barbados beneath the impression that we might be getting a flight home from there.

“We then heard that results have been constructive and Barbados weren’t keen to supply us any support. We then had three days of crusing to get to the Bahamas as that they had provided us help. Most individuals thought this meant a flight home.

“The captain told us that the Bahamas could offer fuel, medical supplies and food, and that we might sail to Southampton: at least another week’s sailing on a contaminated ship.”

Picture:
The ship is run by British agency Fred Olsen Cruise Traces

Aimee Ramm’s mother and father Jude and John are on board, and her mom has come down with flu-like signs. She says she hasn’t been examined for COVID-19 as there aren’t sufficient test kits on board, however says her mum has been saved in isolation, and had meals delivered by workers carrying masks and fits.

Fred Olsen Cruise Traces mentioned of their newest assertion: “We all know this have to be a really worrying time for our visitors on board and their households, so have arrange a Relative Help Staff in our office in Ipswich.

“This team are there to reply questions from our visitors and their family members, they’ll additionally enable you get messages to these on board. Please name them on +44 (0)1473 292 350 (open 8am to 8pm).

“Fred Olsen would like to re-iterate that we discover ourselves in an unprecedented state of affairs with the global outbreak COVID-19 coronavirus and we’re working across the clock to ensure the safety and luxury of our passengers.”

In different developments:

Sky News will broadcast a particular programme at 6:30pm tonight, with consultants answering your questions #AskSkyNews

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