Britons to be flown home from Coronavirus cruise ship

18th February 2020

The Foreign Office has today confirmed that it is making arrangements to fly up to 80 British passengers and crew home from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, currently moored in Japan.

This news comes as the UK Government comes under pressure to take action, after the US and other countries began an evacuation of their citizens last week.

Criticism has also come from the passengers themselves, as victims of the potentially fatal Coronavirus are live streaming their stories and speaking out about their treatment on board the cruise ship. For example, David and Sally Able, have been providing a jovial version of events so far via social media, however, the couple have now confirmed that they too have tested positive for the virus, on the last imposed day of quarantine on board.

The Diamond Princess, has the highest concentration of confirmed Coronavirus cases outside of mainland China, and questions have been raised about how the infection has spread so readily amongst passengers and crew, despite apparently stringent quarantine measures.

British passengers who have been diagnosed with the virus are expected to stay in Japan for treatment, and will return home later, once fully recovered and the appropriate quarantine period has passed.

If you’re planning to travel to a country affected by the Coronavirus, make sure you stay up to date with the latest news via the Foreign Office.

If you have any questions about your travel insurance needs, or your existing policy with us, please let us know by calling our friendly team on 0330 880 3600. We’re here Open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5pm, Saturday 8:30am to 4pm and closed Sundays. .

Published 18 Feb 2020

Get Quotes

Other Interesting News Pages

Stay up to date with the latest travel news, tips and advice.