Crew members of Covid-19-hit cruise ship go to shore in Uruguay

The crew of the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship Greg Mortimer disembarked in Montevideo on Tuesday after being moored off Uruguay for more than a month, the country’s foreign minister, Ernesto Talvi, said.

“All the crew members remained in quarantine in two hotels in the city under strict health and security measures,” Talvi said on Twitter.

More than 100 passengers from Australia and New Zealand were flown home from the Australian-owned Antarctic cruise ship in April, but the crew remained on board.

At least 35 of the more than 80 crew members have tested positive for Covid-19, according to Uruguayan media.

Fear of more infections and the crew’s growing despair prompted the authorities to allow them to disembark.

“A nightmare is over,” crew member Javier Alvarado told the daily El Pais.

The infected were taken to a hotel and put in quarantine, according to the daily.

The group that tested negative was lodged at another hotel, where it was expected to be confined at least until Sunday.

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The Greg Mortimer will stay moored in a closed port area, El Pais quoted Juan Curbelo, the president of the National Port Administration, as saying.

It will later be evaluated whether the ship can continue travelling to its original destination, Curbelo added. The Greg Mortimer was reportedly due to end its voyage in the Canary Islands. (dpa)