The disembarkation process of the crew from the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship Diamond Princess has started today at the Port of Oakland, California. First to disembark are around 400 Filipino crew members and 6 passengers which will be repatriated home with a 747 charter flight scheduled to leave late Saturday afternoon. Two more charter flights are scheduled on Sunday, from SFO for the remaining foreign national passengers and non-essential crew aboard the Grand Princess.
Grand Princess Charter flights schedule
- 1. Saturday to Manila
- 2. Sunday to Belgrade - New Delhi - Jakarta
- 3. Sunday to Mexico City – Lima
The crew from several countries including South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua, and Columbia will remain onboard because the scheduled charter flights don’t include these countries. Around 100 Filipino crew members will also stay to help in the minimum safe manning of the ship.
All of the reaming crew onboard will be under a 14-day quarantine, after which the “No sail order” will be lifted and the ship will be permitted to dock in port as usual.
Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco issued an advisory for Filipinos onboard Grand Princess that reads as follows:
After incessant efforts and preparations between and among the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the US federal, state and local governments, Carnival Cruise Corp, and Philippine Government authorities in Manila, the repatriation process of more than 400 Filipino crew members and 6 passengers is set to take place on Saturday, 14 March.
A 747 charter flight is scheduled to leave late Saturday afternoon. Health screenings by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be done as the disembarkation process proceeds tomorrow.
Repatriates are scheduled to spend their 15-day quarantine period at the Athlete's Village in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
More than 100 Filipino crew members have decided to stay onboard the Grand Princess cruise ship to help in the minimum safe manning of the ship.
U.S. state authorities informed the Consulate General on 13 March, that Filipinos who tested positive for COVID-19 virus will be taken out of the ship and given appropriate medical attention."
