Coronavirus: 473 Indian Seafarers Sent Home After Testing Negative

Marine Insight had earlier reported that 473 Indian seafarers had been received at Murmagaon Port Trust(MPT), Goa. It is now confirmed by the port officials that all the seafarers who disembarked from the ship have been sent home.

The Norwegian Cruise liner, Norwegian Escape had brought the seafarers to Goa, India from various parts of Europe. Consequently, with a capacity of close to 4,000 seafarers, the Norwegian Escape became the largest vessel to be docked at MPT.

The crew members were sent home in designated batches by the port authorities. Family members came to take their seafaring relatives after they were dropped at five different places.

Representation Image – Credits: wartsila.com

P.S Reddy, Nodal officer for stranded seafarers said that on the results coming as negative, all seafarers opted for 14 day home quarantine instead of institutional quarantine.

The cruise liner would also see to the crew disembarkation of 500 seafarers in Mumbai.

Government officials have estimated that approximately 99 per cent of Indian seafarers stranded onboard have been brought back to the country.

With Indians accounting for 10 per cent of the global seafaring community, it becomes imperative that the governments of the world do their parts in bringing their stranded citizens home.

Reference: indiatimes.com

Source: Maritime Shipping News