More than 1000 people are stuck on the cruise ship “Zaandam” off the Florida coast. There are first deaths and several coronavirus sufferers. The US authorities have so far refused to enter – with reference to scarce resources.
The cruise ship “Zaandam” with four dead and several corona cases on board is still desperately looking for a port. In the US state of Florida, where the ship should come in after a long odyssey, passengers are now not allowed to go ashore.
Broward County today wanted to advise whether the ship could still enter Port Everglades with 1052 people on board. It was due to arrive in Florida tomorrow, but Governor Ron DeSantis has so far refused to berth.
He pointed out that the hospitals in Florida were already too busy due to the pandemic. And further: “We cannot afford that people who are not even Florida residents are dumped in South Florida and use up valuable resources,” he told Fox News.
Sister ship takes over healthy people from “Zaandam”
The sister ship “Rotterdam” is also on its way to Florida – whether it is allowed to moor is also unclear. The “Rotterdam” has already taken over from the “Zaandam” almost 1400 people who are apparently healthy. 450 passengers and 602 crew members remained on the “Zaandam”, including 193 passengers with flu-like symptoms. Eight corona cases have now been confirmed on the cruise ship. Both ships have a total of more than 300 US citizens and about 80 Germans.
The president of the operator Holland-America Line, Orlando Ashford, appealed to the authorities in a newspaper article to let people go. The virus-induced disease Covid-19 is testing humanity. The first passengers have already died. He fears for the lives of others. “Slamming the door in front of these people would be a betrayal of our deepest human values,” Ashford wrote.
Four dead, 190 sick
The “Zaandam” started in early March from Buenos Aires to San Antonio in Chile. From there she should continue to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. But from March 15, she was refused entry into South American ports – even before passengers showed the first flu-like symptoms.
In the meantime, dozens of people on board have fallen ill, and eight have been diagnosed with the Sars-CoV-2 virus. Four passengers have now died, the operator said. However, the cause of death is not yet known. The rest of the people on the cruise ship are healthy, but are not allowed to leave their cabins.
Difficult passage through the Panama Canal
The ship had reached Panama last week. The authorities there stated that at least two of the deaths were due to the virus and did not allow the “Zaandam” to travel through the Panama Canal into the Atlantic until they had negotiated for days.
The passengers had to turn off the lights and draw the curtains. Canal manager Ricaurte Vásquez spoke of a humanitarian decision. The passengers complained of the emotional ups and downs of the past 15 days. “We mustn’t leave our rooms, haven’t had fresh air for days,” said Laura Gabaroni from Orlando.
Maas wants to let Germans fly out
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is now also concerned with the drama. He had hoped yesterday that the two ships would soon enter Fort Lauderdale harbor and that the passengers could be flown out of there. “We are working on it, but I cannot give the all-clear yet,” the SPD politician told the “Bild” newspaper.
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