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In a compellingly presented video, Sture Myrmell, President of Carnival Australia, has appealed to the NSW Government to reconsider its decision to order P&O Cruises’ Sydney home-ported flagship Pacific Explorer to leave.

Myrmell expressed his profound disappointment at the order by NSW Police that Pacific Explorer must depart.

There is no illness on Pacific Explorer, Myrmell made clear. “No passenger has tested positive for Covid-19.”

P&O has been cruising from Australia for 88 years, supporting thousands of jobs and the economic life of NSW and regional communities, Myrmell pointed out. It was unprecedented for the cruise line to be treated in this way, given its Australian origins.

The Carnival Australia chief called yesterday “a particularly sad and disappointing day”, noting that P&O is the only cruise line in the world that has had a head office in Australia, depended on by hundreds of local staff and by “thousands of travel agents for whom cruising is part of their business”.

“There’s still time to change this approach,” Mymell concluded. “Compassion and clear thinking beyond the current crisis has never been needed more.”

Myrmell’s strong message, just 2.50 minutes, can be viewed here:

 

Myrmell’s words fell as the issue of cruise ships in Australian waters, now under the shadow of Covid-19, came to a head.

NSW Police Marine Area Command provided an escort for NSW Health and an independent medical team from Aspen Medical to board the stricken cruise ship, Ruby Princess, off the coast of Sydney earlier Thursday.

The team will assess the health of more than 1100 Ruby Princess crew to determine whether they are infected with Covid-19.

The joint operation between Australian Border Force and NSW Police is part of the Australian government’s efforts to deal with eight cruise ships in Australian waters off the east coast, some of which have ignored an order to leave to their home ports, the Guardian reported.

A police statement said that a joint operation had transported from the vessel a 66-year-old crew member requiring medical care.

“The NSW Police Force is also assisting with a number of medical evacuations and transfers of Australian crew members from several cruise ships anchored off Sydney,” the police said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had an obligation to provide healthcare to people who are sick within the country’s territorial waters.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says he fears that “bringing 9000 people off the cruise ships” could “overload” the state’s health system.

Written by Peter Needham