Indonesian Crews of Ship Docked in Cambodia to Be Re-examined

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Director for the Protection of Citizens and Legal Entities Overseas of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Judha Nugraha, said hundreds of Indonesian nationals who are crews of MS Westerdam cruise ship will be re-examined by Cambodian authorities after a passenger reportedly carried the novel coronavirus.

“The Cambodian government will conduct re-examination. If they are declared clear [from the virus infection], they are allowed to sail,” Judha told Antara in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 19.

A total of 60 out of 362 Indonesians registered as crew members had completed work contracts, and 27 people of them had returned to Indonesia on February 15 while the rest are still in Cambodia.

MS Westerdam cruise ship had finally docked in Cambodia on Thursday, February 13, after being turned away by five countries over the virus fears.

The Cambodian Health Ministry announced that none of the passengers was infected by the virus or COVID-19 following the health screenings towards samples from passengers with any signs of ill health or flu-like symptoms upon their arrival. The MS Westerdam ship boarded 1,455 passengers and 802 crews.

Earlier reported, a passenger who took transit in Malaysia by a chartered flight from Cambodia to the United States was tested positive for the coronavirus as the US citizen underwent health screenings by the Malaysian authorities. The woman’s husband, however, tested negative.

ANTARA