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"Aida Nova" on New Year's Eve in the port of Lisbon: return flights for the passengers are organized
Photo:
Armando Franca / dpa
Instead of going to the Canary Islands on board the "Aida Nova", thousands of holidaymakers have been stuck in the crew for days unplanned in Portugal after a corona outbreak.
It is now clear: the cruise ship's journey ends early in Lisbon.
The sick crew members had only mild symptoms, "due to the current situation, however, we cannot continue the trip with› Aida Nova ‹to the Canary Islands as planned until January 5th, 2022," said Aida Cruises in Rostock.
The German shipping company asked the passengers for understanding that they had been met in the interests of the safety and health of the crew and tourists.
The almost 3000 cruise passengers, including from Germany, had to spend the turn of the year differently than planned because of the problems and had to wait three days in Lisbon: The planned tour of the spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks over the port of Funchal on the Atlantic island of Madeira was canceled - which, according to reports on social networks, spoiled the New Year's and party mood for some travelers.
The shipping company said on Friday that the positive corona cases were discovered early on during routine tests and that those affected were accommodated on land in coordination with the authorities in Lisbon.
Exit permit despite a thinned out crew
According to "RTL.de", which previously reported on the outbreak on board the ship, the mood on board was meanwhile irritable.
At lunchtime, the captain had to urge the guests: "Always remain polite when communicating with our employees!" However, he personally felt sorry for the situation.
Instead of a merely delayed trip out to the Atlantic, passengers now expect the return flight home.
According to the company, the return flight for guests to Germany, Austria and Switzerland is already being organized.
"In the meantime, our guests can explore Lisbon and the surrounding area on shore excursions and enjoy what is on offer on board," it said.
The Lisbon port director Diogo Vieira Branco had previously told the Portuguese state news agency Lusa that 52 of the 1,353 crew members had tested positive on the Aida Nova.
They were all accommodated in hotels in Lisbon, where they should complete the required isolation.
The port commander was quoted by Lusa late Friday evening as saying that there were 2,844 tourists on the ship, among whom there was no positive case.
According to this information, the Portuguese authorities granted the Aida Nova permission to sail, regardless of the thinned out crew.
There is nothing to prevent the crew and the ship from returning home.
However, the company did not want to comment on the statements of the port director on Sunday.
According to Aida Cruises, all passengers aged 12 and over and the crew had been vaccinated and had both an antigen and a PCR test prior to departure.
apr / dpa