Coronavirus fear: Ferry passengers jump into sea after three tested positive for COVID-19 on Indonesian ship
dCoronavirus fear has been spread in the world just like a fire in a jungle. One video surfaced the Internet which showed passengers on Indonesian ferry Lambelu jumping into the sea due to fears of suspected coronavirus cases, The Star reports said.
In the ferry, tensions rose over the spread of the disease across the archipelago after three members of the Lambelu’s crew have tested positive for COVID-19 while the other passengers were temporarily held on board for their test results.
The passengers jumped over the side and successfully swam to the shore at the port of Maumere as they don’t want to escape quarantine.
According to the reports, the ferry was quarantined off Maumere, Flores Island. Several videos and photos have been shared on social media which even showed a verbal confrontation between passengers and the crew government patrol boat near the ferry. Also, several passengers can be seen in the water, as they jumped into the sea after wearing life vests and swimming away from the ship.
🇮🇩 Passenger KM Lambelu Falls Into the Sea, Prohibited from docking at Maumere Corona Issue. Passengers have not been allowed to disembark because it is suspected that 3 crew members (ABK) have contracted COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/u43vsp7vVw
— tealab.co (@tealabco) April 8, 2020
"We ask for the passengers to cooperate with health protocols before disembarking from the ship and refrain from any actions that could be harmful,” an Indonesian transport ministry official told Reuters in a statement.
Reportedly, the ferry was carrying 255 passengers and mostly migrants workers were returning from Malaysia after the coronavirus lockdown was imposed in the neighbouring country.
As per the latest reports, the ship has now been allowed to berth in Maumere, and passengers are being transferred to a local convention center and the area regent’s official residence.
Out of the total passengers, 238 passengers aboard the Lambelu are migrant workers who are returning from Malaysia, while 22 passengers from the Lambelu were transported by truck to a stadium in the Ende.
On arrival of passengers, Indonesian response personnel sprayed each person with an antiseptic fog, according to local outlet Pos-Kupang.
First published: 10 April 2020, 10:43 IST