- Artania cruise ship stand-off continues in Australia, in spite of Australian Border Force ordering the Artania to depart Fremantle.
- Ship’s passengers were evacuated and flown home, while around 450 remain on board.
- Locals say, people from the ship getting treated in hospital are taking up capacity that should be reserved for Australians falling ill with Covid-19.
- The authorities still had a “humanitarian obligation” towards the remaining passengers.
According to a local media report, the German cruise ship defies orders to leave a port in Western Australia following a coronavirus outbreak onboard, reports BBC News.
What is the order?
The Australian Border Force ordered the Artania to depart Fremantle. Most of the ship’s passengers were evacuated and flown home, while around 450 remain on board, most of them crew.
Request to remain docked
They are reportedly asking to remain docked for another two weeks to ensure there are no further cases.
According to Australian media report –
- Dozens of people travelling on the ship were found to have contracted coronavirus.
- They are now being treated in Australian hospitals.
- Seven are in intensive care.
- 12 passengers who were too unwell to fly are still on the ship.
Objection from locals
Now this case has become highly controversial as many locals say, people from the ship getting treated in hospital are taking up capacity that should be reserved for Australians falling ill with Covid-19.
Do the needful
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has called on the federal government to force the ship to leave Australian waters.
He asked to clean the ship well if needed and get it on its way.
Humanitarian obligation
Attorney General Christian Porter told 6PR radio that while the ship was the subject of an order to leave the port authorities still had a “’humanitarian obligation” towards the remaining passengers.
Australia’s COVID cases
According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, in Australia there have been 4,862 COVID-19 cases, with at least 20 deaths.
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Source: BBC
