US President Trump Says Florida will Evacuate Stranded Cruise Ships

2nd April 2020

The Zaandam cruise ship (with Irish passengers) is due to dock in Florida later today. AFLOAT adds the cruiseship is on the left along with fleetmate Rotterdam when recently offshore of Panama prior to both ships transiting the canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans. Credit: HAL Cruises-twitter

The US President reports RTE News, has said that US authorities will evacuate passengers from a stranded cruise ship which is due to dock in Florida after being barred from several South American countries because of a coronavirus outbreak aboard.

Both the cruise ship Zaandam, where dozens of people have fallen ill, and its sister ship Rotterdam are due to enter US waters early today ahead of their expected docking in Fort Lauderdale.

Around ten Irish citizens remain stranded on board the Zaandam cruise ship.

Mr Trump said the US was "sending medical teams on board the ships" and taking people off, with foreigners sent home.

"We're taking the Canadians off and giving them to Canadian authorities," he said. "Same thing with the UK. But we have to help the people. They're in big trouble."

For more on this development click here.

Published in Cruise Liners

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About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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