- Title: Uruguay transports Australians, New Zealanders from virus-hit cruise ship
- Date: 11th April 2020
- Summary: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY (APRIL 11, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, BUSES LEAVING MONTEVIDEO PORT AND TRANSPORTING AUSTRALIANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS PASSENGERS STRANDED IN A CRUISE SHIP HEALTH WORKERS LEAVING CRUISE SHIP AND AMBULANCE PARKING AT PORT AMBULANCE LEAVING MONTEVIDEO PORT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) URUGUAYAN ARMY SPOKESMAN, DIEGO PERONA, SAYING: "Now there was an unexpected event and an ambulance came and another ambulance is going to come for another passenger or crew member, we do not know, that also got worse and both are going to the hospital. " VARIOUS, BUSES AND AMBULANCE ARRIVING AT MONTEVIDEO PORT HEALTH WORKERS OUTSIDE AMBULANCE BUS AND AMBULANCES WAITING AT PORT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) URUGUAYAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ERNESTO TALVI, SAYING: "First for us the satisfaction of having fulfilled an ethical duty and of having lived up to Uruguay's humanistic and humanitarian tradition. If an extraordinarily close bond of friendship is to remain for the future with all the countries, without a doubt, their compatriots can return to their homes, but we are not expecting any retribution." VARIOUS, BUS AND AMBULANCES WAITING AT PORT
- Embargoed: 25th April 2020 06:10
- Keywords: Australians COVID-19 Greg Mortimer New Zealanders Uruguay coronavirus cruise ship
- Location: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
- City: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
- Country: Uruguay
- Reuters ID: LVA001C91Q4W7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Uruguay started on Friday (April 10) to repatriate 112 Australians and New Zealanders from a cruise ship hit by coronavirus and stranded in the La Plata River near the capital of Montevideo since March 27, the government said.
The operation began in the evening when the Greg Mortimer, an Antarctic cruise ship operated by Aurora Expeditions, docked in the port of Montevideo.
The passengers, most of whom have tested positive for the coronavirus, went by bus to a special airport terminal with strict health controls. They are scheduled to board a Melbourne-bound charter flight in the early hours of Saturday (April 11).
Two Australian passengers could not be transported as they had to stay in intensive care at a hospital because of their poor condition, Uruguay's Foreign Minister Ernesto Talvi said.
The "humanitarian corridor" will allow the 96 Australians and 16 New Zealanders to return home but excludes passengers of other nationalities, who will stay on board pending negotiations with their countries.
These include Americans, Jamaicans and people of various European nations, the ministry added.
(Production: Alejandro Obaldia, Liamar Ramos, Alejandro Obaldia) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None