Coronavirus: Indian crew under quarantine sends ‘SOS’ video, appeals PM Modi for help

The Indian crew members and passengers from luxury cruise ship that has been under quarantine off a port in Japan have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help them.

According to sources, the captain of the luxury cruise Diamond Express announced that 66 people onboard have been tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Binay Kumar Sarkar, a chif from north Bengal who had earlier gone on social media to appeal to appeal for help, told NDTV that there was complete panic on-board.

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In the video, Sarkar appealed to the government to separate Indian on board, "None of them have been checked (for coronavirus)," he said in Hindi, indicating five of his Indians colleagues. All the men in the video were wearing white masks.

“Please somehow save us as soon as possible. What's the point if something happens (to us)...I want to tell the government of India, Modi-ji, please segregate us and bring us back home safely," he said.

Diamond Express had sailed from Yokohama on 20th January. At Hong Kong, a passenger got off on 25th January. On 2nd February, the ship received notice that the Hong Kong passenger had been tested positive for deadly virus.

There were about 3,700 passengers and crew members on-board when it arrived off Japan’s coast. It had docked in Yokohama on Thursday to resupply for a quarantine that to hold on till 19th February.

As stated by many Japanese news sources, the number of new positive cases confirmed today is 60. The total number of coronavirus-positive people on board is 130.

Passengers have been asked to stay inside their cabins to avert new infection. The WHO called on Tokyo to give enough support, including mental care, to passengers and patients.

The crew members also pointed out that all passengers of another cruiseliner, which was quarantined around the same time as Diamond Princess, were allowed to leave their ship on Sunday.