Some 112 Australian and New Zealand passengers, who have endured days on an adventure ship off the stormy coast of South America, have been allowed off in Uruguay.
The Greg Mortimer was brought alongside at Montevideo and a “sanitary cordon” constructed to Carrasco Airport, a Uruguayan navy statement said.
A medical plane to evacuate Australian and New Zealand passengers will depart at dawn on Saturday for Melbourne, foreign ministry sources said.
The cost to fly each passenger home is about $US9,300 ($A15,025). The cruise ship operator has asked the Australian government for help with expenses, but a statement maintained “Aurora Expeditions insurance will cover repatriation flight cost so there will be no cost to passengers”.
Around 60 per cent of the 217 passengers onboard Aurora Expeditions’ Greg Mortimer have tested positive for coronavirus, said the line.
Overnight, an Australian couple suffering from COVID-19, have been evacuated from the ship. The 59 and 6-year-old were taken from hospital on Wednesday, both with coronavirus and pneumonia, the Uruguayan navy said.
A total of eight people have been transferred to hospitals in Montevideo.
“There are currently no fevers onboard and all are asymptomatic,” said Aurora Expeditions.
Of 217 people, 128 were positive for the virus, while 89 tested negative.
Australian passengers, and possibly those from New Zealand, will fly home on an Airbus 340 that has been refitted – with people who have the virus and those who do not travelling in separate cabin areas, according to Aurora Expeditions.
The plan would require the passengers to undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival at a facility in Melbourne, the company said.
Those who have the virus will have to wait until they test negative before they fly home.
Dr Annaliese van Dieman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Victoria said: “We have reports that up to 70 per cent of these patients have tested positive to COVID-19.
“The government has been working very, very closely with the cruise ship operators to organise this fight to come back to Australia. The Victorian government will ensure that this flight is met by a number of medical staff, ambulances as required.
“The plan for this is that everybody will be assessed when they get off the flight via a medical team. Everybody who needs to go to hospital will go to hospital and the remaining passengers will go to quarantine in hotels as is the process for all international arrivals at this point in time.”
The Greg Mortimer departed March 15 on a voyage to Antarctic and South Georgia that followed in the footsteps of the polar explorer, Ernest Shackleton.
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The repatriation flights are being paid for by the cruise line’s insurer, not the
Australian taxpayer.
I agree with all the above but I do feel sorry for them….. a horrid situation to be in. However my husband and I were in the southern hemisphere and as soon as smart traveller gave out warnings we come home early. If this lot get financial ( which they shouldn’t) help we would also like a refund on what Qantas charged us.
The cost of the flight back to Australia is being paid by the company’s insurance firm and there is no charge to either the Australian govt or the passengers. As someone who has a relative on board the Greg Mortimer, the company has been excellent in negotiating solutions to very difficult problems, in its level of care and support and in keeping passengers, staff, crew and friends and family very well informed every day.
Yes I cannot believe anyone in their right mind would get on a ship and go on a cruise when this virus was spreading around the world.
The cruises should have been cancelled.
Everyone knew it was not a good idea to travel. Why did they not cancel. We had to cancel our planned holiday due in May. So to think that the Australian government should bail them out is disgraceful. Maybe travel insurance might help them , if they took a policy before a certain date. Otherwise bad luck in my books. you knew what was brewing with this deadly virus.
Those on the Greg Mortimer left on 15th March. Why should the Australian Tax Payer contribute to their return.?Also what a fiasco with the Ruby Princess. Someone has made a huge error of judgement and the people of Australia are paying for it. What I really would like to know is how did the Virus get onto these ships in the first place.Cruising will never be the same. Do people need someone to hold their hand continually ? The people that make these decisions are supposed to be ADULTS not Dolts.
How rude of these passengers ??? They were aware of the Governments warnings of the spread of coronavirus before they left for their voyage. It was their own egos which they were satisfying when they left. To expect the Australian community to take them home is beyond comprehension. I for one am not sorry for them. Let them stay where they are.
Interesting the cruise departed 6 days after the Australian government recommended against travelling on cruise ships. This advice was via the Smart traveller website. Daily emails from Smart Traveller painted a clear picture of how the virus was spreading. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the world situation was deteriorating at that time. I
why would any government have to pay – when passengers boarded the ship at their own will whilst there was a travel warning . No way
They left on March 15th? Whatever were they thinking?
While I do not wish ill of anyone and certainly don’t believe that anyone deserves to become sick, I do think that people should take accountability for their actions and not expect the Australian taxpayers to pay to bail them out of their situation.
It’s an expensive lesson, but may teach a little more foresight for the future.
When you’re told not to travel, DON’T TRAVEL!