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Yet another cruise ship is having a difficult time docking at a foreign port amid growing COVID-19 concerns.
The Sun Princess, a ship operated by Princess Cruises, was met by violent protests upon docking at the island of Réunion on Sunday. The protesters were reportedly demanding health checks for passengers wishing to leave the port to visit the island, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
Police officers face demonstrators protesting against the arrival of the passengers of the Sun Princess cruise ship. (Richard Bouhet/AFP via Getty Images)
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The Sun Princess had previously been turned away from a scheduled port in Madagascar, despite no reports of COVID-19 among passengers. Authorities in Madagascar were reportedly concerned that a full 14 days had not passed between the ship’s previous stop in Thailand, which has recorded dozens of positive COVID-19 cases and one death.
Protesters in Réunion, a French territory located just east of Madagascar, said they too were concerned.
“Of course we are not against the arrival of tourists, they are necessary for the development of our economy. We just want to be sure that there is no risk of the coronavirus propagating,” said Yannis Latchimy, one of the roughly 30 protestors, according to the AFP. (Richard Bouhet/AFP via Getty Images)
“Of course we are not against the arrival of tourists, they are necessary for the development of our economy. We just want to be sure that there is no risk of the coronavirus propagating,” said Yannis Latchimy, one of roughly 30 protesters, according to the AFP.
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Images from Sunday’s protests show police in protective gear facing off against protesters, some of whom are seen throwing rocks at authorities. Another photo shows a fire breaking out near the port.
Despite the protests, hundreds of passengers reportedly disembarked during the stop in Réunion. (Richard Bouhet/AFP via Getty Images)
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Despite the demonstrations, hundreds of passengers did disembark during the ship’s stopover in Réunion, though they returned later in the day due to safety concerns, the New Zealand Herald reported.
The ship, which was carrying around 2,000 passengers, many of whom were from Australia and New Zealand, reportedly departed for Mauritius on Sunday evening, a day before its scheduled departure from Réunion. However, Mauritius, too, reportedly denied the Sun Princess permission to dock, according to the Herald.
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A representative for Princess Cruises was not immediately available to confirm the ship’s revised itinerary.