Crew members from Karnataka stranded in UK cruise ship return safely

Vinobha K T | TNN | May 2, 2020, 15:03 IST

Crew members of UK-based Marella Cruises ship waiting for medical check-up at Dakshina Kannada district border

MANGALURU: Two Mangalureans, who were in the cruise ship that stranded in the sea for 40 days due to lockdown, reached the city on Friday.
As many as 23 crew members including six persons from Karnataka, who were working in the ship of UK based Marella Cruises, sent back to their respective places in a bus from Mumbai. In addition to six from Karnataka, there were 17 others from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the bus that left Mumbai on April 30.
Cruise front office supervisor Hariprasad Rao from Kodikal and Levit D’Souza from Akashabhavan reached Kavoor in the city in the bus along with others. They have been staying in a house at Kavoor after informing the police. They had arrived from Mumbai to Mangaluru via Hejamady check post, where they underwent a health check-up before entering Dakshina Kannada district.
Hariprasad Rao told TOI that the cruise with 1,600 passengers had left Singapore Port on March 14. The ship with 600 crew members including 145 Indians reached Chennai on March 23. However, the ship was not allowed to enter by authorities in Chennai, Kochi and Mangaluru ports. Later, the cruise was allowed to enter Mumbai port on April 23 and all the 145 crew members were quarantined in a hotel there, he said.
Out of six Kannadigas, who arrived in the bus, one hails from Mysuru, another from Dandeli and two from Belagavi. After undergoing test, all of them were sent to their native places. All of them had undergone health check-ups at 20 places on the way from Mumbai to Mangaluru, Rao said adding “We have informed the police and now staying safe in Kavoor.”