Westerdam cruise ship passengers disembark in Cambodia after being turned away by five countries

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen greeted the passengers with handshakes and bouquets of roses as they stepped off the ship

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Cambodia for its example of ‘international solidarity’

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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen greets passengers as they disembark. Photo: EPA

Published: 10:30am, 14 Feb 2020Updated: 1:10pm, 14 Feb 2020

Passengers on a cruise ship that spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries over coronavirus fears started disembarking in Cambodia on Friday.

The MS Westerdam, carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, docked in the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville on Thursday. It had anchored offshore early in the morning to allow Cambodian officials to board and collect samples from passengers with any signs of ill health or flu-like symptoms.

After tests, no one on board was found to be carrying the virus, Cambodia’s health ministry said.

Cambodian authorities granted permission for passengers to disembark on Friday morning, the ship’s operator, Holland America Line, a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corporation, said in an emailed statement, ending two weeks of uncertainty for the cruise. Charter flights were being organised to help passengers return home, the statement said.

“Flight details are being communicated to guests as they are finalised, and it is expected that a full disembarkation will take a few days given the charter flight schedule,” the statement said.

The sound of cheering inside the ship could be heard from Sihanoukville port when the Westerdam finally docked on Thursday evening.

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