Around 250 Indonesian crew members will be evacuated from the cruise ships Diamond Princess and World Dream to deserted Sebaru Island located in the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu). 

Achmad Yurianto, secretary-general of the Health Ministry’s disease control and environmental health directorate, said the crew will be quarantined on the island for additional 14 days to make sure they are free from the coronavirus COVID-19 before they are sent back home.

The evacuation of 188 Indonesian crew members (172 men and 16 women) from the cruise ship World Dream is currently underway. They have been transported from the cruise ship anchored in International Waters near Durian Strait, Riau Islands, to Indonesian Navy ship. After the evacuation from World Dream, the crew members will arrive on Friday morning on Sebaru Island in Jakarta’s Thousand Island district.

CNBC Indonesia released the following video of the evacuation from the cruise ship World Dream to Indonesian Navy ship.

Following the plea for help by the Indonesian crew members on Diamond Princess for urgent evacuation from the quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama, the Indonesian government announced they will send an airplane to pick up their citizens.

The news was announced today by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, after Government meeting related to the handling of the coronavirus, however, he didn’t say when the evacuation will start.

"Following up on the decision of the President and his direction, he has decided that the government will evacuate the Indonesian citizens of the Diamond Princess ship in Yokohama, by plane," Mr. Muhadjir said. The government official did not want to specify the type of aircraft to be used or the time of the evacuation.

Muhadjir said that the Indonesian government is in close communication with Japan regarding the pickup time of their citizens, adding that once evacuated they will be sent for additional 14-day quarantine on Sebaru Island. In addition, they will enforce strict health protocols during the evacuation implemented by the Ministry of Health.

Indonesian crew members who are on the Diamond Princess have requested that the Indonesian Government pick them up. They even felt disappointed and desperate because they are still stuck on the ship.

"We just want to quickly return to Indonesia, and be quarantined in Indonesia. We are here on Diamond Princess and watching that the World Dream crew has been already evacuated” says one crew member.

The following video was released by the Indonesian channel One News, covering the story about the Indonesian crew on Diamond princess and their plea for urgent evacuation.