Published on Monday, November 2, 2020

Ponant ship Jacques Cartier arrives in Marseille

The yacht-cruise ship Jacques Cartier has arrived in Marseille this morning after being docked in Italy for five days following a coronavirus outbreak on board.


The 60 passengers and 93 crew had been anchored in the Sicilian port of Syracuse since last Monday, when two cases of coronavirus were reported.


On Wednesday, the number of positive tests had increased to three passengers and eight crew.


The cruise company said passengers were immediately placed in isolation in their cabins and none of those who tested positive showed any critical symptoms.


It added two more people had tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.


One passenger told Le Monde newspaper: "It started at our first stopover last Monday


"We were arriving from Malta, departing from the cruise, and were due to disembark in Syracuse, when, without explanation, we were denied access to land.


"We ended up learning at midday that there were two cases of Covid in the crew.


"Then, that evening at dinner, a couple experienced the first symptoms and presented to the doctor."


The guest said there had been fears the ship would have to stay in Syracuse for 10 days.


Italian authorities later allowed the ship to sail to France.


French media says passenges have now been given authorisation to disembark.

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