Berhampur: Even as a section of coronavirus-free passengers on board the Diamond Princess — a cruise liner quarantined off the coast of Yokohama in Japan since February 3 — was allowed to disembark on Wednesday, the family of a 27-year-old software engineer from Berhampur voiced their concern about his well-being and reiterated their appeal to the Centre to secure his release.
Sibashis Nayak is among six Indian passengers on board the cruise liner anchored off the coast of Japan for the past two weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak. Sibashis, who works in a Delhi-based company, was part of a six-member team of software engineers who visited southeast Asia on January 10 and later went on to board the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined after one of its passengers, who had gotten off at Hong Kong, tested positive for the disease.
The Diamond Princess has 138 Indians on board — six passengers and 132 crew members. Of the crew, seven have so far tested positive for coronavirus.
“We are extremely worried about Sibashis’s health. He has been on the ship for the past 15 days,” said Lingaraj Nayak, father of the software engineer.
Lingaraj, a businessman, also requested chief minister Naveen Patnaik to secure the rescue of his son. “Sibashis tested negative for the disease when a routine check was carried out,” he said.
On Wednesday, it was not immediately clear if the Indian passengers had also gotten off the ship. Nayak’s father, too, could not shed light on the process of disembarkation of Indian nationals.
“Indian crew who tested positive for #COVID19 among 88 new cases yesterday (Tuesday) on #DiamondPrincess taken to hospital for treatment. Indians receiving treatment responding well. From today, disembarkation of passengers only started, likely to continue till 21 Feb,” the Indian embassy in Tokyo tweeted.
“Some countries like Canada, the US and Australia have evacuated their passengers from the ship. India should do the same,” Lingaraj said. “I was in touch with my son through WhatsApp. He is desperate to come home,” said Sibashis’s mother Jhunu Nayak. “We are worried about what he is eating. Vegetarian Indian food is not available,” she added.
The family said they had earlier contacted the manager of Sibashis’s company. “He assured us that our son would be rescued soon. He is likely to be brought to Delhi,” Lingaraj said.
MP (Berhampur) Chandra Sekhar Sahu on Wednesday wrote to external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, for the Odia engineer’s rescue.
Sibashis Nayak is among six Indian passengers on board the cruise liner anchored off the coast of Japan for the past two weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak. Sibashis, who works in a Delhi-based company, was part of a six-member team of software engineers who visited southeast Asia on January 10 and later went on to board the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined after one of its passengers, who had gotten off at Hong Kong, tested positive for the disease.
The Diamond Princess has 138 Indians on board — six passengers and 132 crew members. Of the crew, seven have so far tested positive for coronavirus.
“We are extremely worried about Sibashis’s health. He has been on the ship for the past 15 days,” said Lingaraj Nayak, father of the software engineer.
Lingaraj, a businessman, also requested chief minister Naveen Patnaik to secure the rescue of his son. “Sibashis tested negative for the disease when a routine check was carried out,” he said.
On Wednesday, it was not immediately clear if the Indian passengers had also gotten off the ship. Nayak’s father, too, could not shed light on the process of disembarkation of Indian nationals.
“Indian crew who tested positive for #COVID19 among 88 new cases yesterday (Tuesday) on #DiamondPrincess taken to hospital for treatment. Indians receiving treatment responding well. From today, disembarkation of passengers only started, likely to continue till 21 Feb,” the Indian embassy in Tokyo tweeted.
“Some countries like Canada, the US and Australia have evacuated their passengers from the ship. India should do the same,” Lingaraj said. “I was in touch with my son through WhatsApp. He is desperate to come home,” said Sibashis’s mother Jhunu Nayak. “We are worried about what he is eating. Vegetarian Indian food is not available,” she added.
The family said they had earlier contacted the manager of Sibashis’s company. “He assured us that our son would be rescued soon. He is likely to be brought to Delhi,” Lingaraj said.
MP (Berhampur) Chandra Sekhar Sahu on Wednesday wrote to external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, for the Odia engineer’s rescue.
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