Inside the party on board the coronavirus-riddled Ruby Princess cruise just hours after sick passengers walked into Australia - sparking a deadly COVID-19 outbreak
- On the day passengers from Ruby Princess let into Sydney a party was thrown
- Crew on the Ruby Princess were given a 'sail away' party on virus riddled ship
- A special commission inquiry is investigating the Ruby Princess fiasco
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Ruby Princess cruise staff partied on board the coronavirus-ridden ship just a day after sick passengers entered Australia.
The cruise ship has been linked to almost two dozen COVID-19 deaths, and 200 of the 1,000-strong crew have tested positive for the virus.
On March 19, passengers were allowed to disembark the ship at Darling Harbour in Sydney after it was deemed 'low-risk' despite many showing flu-like symptoms.
After the passengers disembarked, a sail away party was held for crew on the ship, with dancers and musicians putting on a show.
Video (pictured) has emerged from on-board the Ruby Princess cruise ship on the day more than 2000 passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic
Normally a 'sail away party' is held for the next lot of passengers to board - however with no one coming onto the ship because of the pandemic, the celebration went ahead just for staff.
Trumpet player Chris Harris told the ABC everyone seemed care-free and was having a good time.
'When we left on March 19, as far as we were aware, we were a healthy ship,' Mr Harris said.
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Fitness instructor Byron Sodani was also working on the Ruby Princess and said it wasn't common for the sail away party to be held just for crew.
'We thought we had a clean ship and the idea of COVID-19 was just outside. Because why would you let us do a party together?' Mr Sodani said.
'When it comes to health, I feel like we have all been put in danger here.'
Some staff on-board the ship at the time said they were treated to a 'sail away' party after the ship was deemed 'low risk' when passengers were allowed to disembark on March 19
Footage from the party shows staff being congratulated on their 'amazing' work as music plays and dancers are seen by the pool.
The same day huge throngs of passengers from the virus riddled ship were released into the city.
On the night before the passengers disembarked footage captured a massive party on-board which included staff.
Kitchen staff were filmed dancing the conga in a dining room on the vessel on March 18 despite doctors having already reported sickness to authorities.
The footage was given to homicide detectives, who are conducting a criminal investigation into why the Ruby Princess was allowed to let passengers off.
'The footage will be reviewed for Strike Force Bast investigators,' New South Wales Police said in a statement.
The video posted to Instagram shows passengers in close quarters with kitchen staff.
More than 2000 passengers from the Ruby Princess (pictured) were allowed to disembark on March 19 with the ship since being linked to 20 COVID-19 deaths and 600 confirmed cases
The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangements has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation' of the Ruby Princess (pictured)
Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler was on Tuesday questioned during a special commission of inquiry hearing into the Ruby Princess cruise ship.
Miss Ressler was reduced to tears after it was suggested there'd been a 'reprehensible shortcoming' by the department when passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney.
Some 2700 passengers disembarked on March 19 and the ship has since been linked to more than 20 coronavirus deaths and 600 infections across Australia.
The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangements has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation'.
Commissioner Bret Walker SC asked Ms Ressler why he 'should not draw the conclusion that there has been a reprehensible shortcoming from NSW Health'.
'All I can say is that I'm very sorry it turned out the way it did, it was not our intention,' she replied as she fought back tears.
'Myself and my colleagues at the public health unit were working very hard on this. We did what we could and if we could do it again it would be very different.'
A separate Senate inquiry into the Ruby Princess began on Tuesday in Canberra while a NSW Police criminal probe is also underway.
The Ruby Princess on Tuesday was off the east coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao en-route to Manila.
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