Coronavirus-hit cruise ships able to dock in Florida
Resolving a days-long impasse and after nearly a month at sea, two ill-fated Holland America cruise ships - carrying passengers sickened by the coronavirus - were finally allowed to dock in Florida on Thursday.
Cruise line Holland America said in a statement that more than 1,200 passengers from both ships would transfer straight to charter flights to their homes.
About 45 sick passengers will stay under quarantine on the Zaandam ship, and about 10 passengers, who are in critical condition, will be transferred to area hospitals.
Four passengers have died since the Zaandam departed from Argentina's capital on March 7.
Other passengers, like Chris and Anna Joiner, have documented their ordeal at sea... begging to get off the ship and to return home:
(SOUNDBITE)(English) CHRIS JOINER, CANADIAN CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER, (AUDIO LAID UNDER STILL PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING CRUISE PASSENGERS ANNA AND CHRIS JOINER HOLDING SIGN READING 'HELP US', PROVIDED BY CHRIS AND ANNA JOINER) SAYING:
“…we won't let this go. There are people out there, there's 450,000 Canadians out there who are trying to get home but they're not stuck on a cruise ship that's sick."
Another posted this video on social media, reciting a poem about being stranded on a cruise ship:
(SOUNDBITE)(English) MORVEN, CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER, RECITING POEM ABOUT BEING STRANDED ON CRUISE SHIP:
“As we search for a port to take us, the world is watching on. And the world will remember.”
Many passengers were transferred to its sister ship, the Rotterdam, while in the Panama Canal.
The ships’ docking comes after U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week urged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to let it happen.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:
“I'll be speaking to the governor.”
DeSantis on Wednesday expressed opposition to the state’s resources being used to treat foreign nationals on the ships.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, SAYING:
“Clearly, we're going to be willing to accept any Floridians on board. My understanding is that most of the passengers are foreign nationals.” (FLASH) “We have worked so hard to make sure we have adequate hospital space in the event of a COVID-19 surge that we wouldn’t want those valuable beds to be taken…”
DeSantis on Wednesday issued a a stay-at-home order that shuttered most of the state… which has reported over 8,000 cases of coronavirus and at least 125 deaths.
