Embassy in Japan trying to get Indians off cruise ship early

The Indian embassy in Japan on Saturday said it is making efforts to disembark all the Indians on board the cruise ship moored off the Japanese coast after the end of the quarantine period as authorities confirmed that 218 people, including three Indians, have been infected with the deadly disease on the ship.

Official sources said Indian officials were in touch with Japanese authorities and were making all efforts possible to ensure the well being of the three Indians who tested positive.

A total of 138 Indians, including 132 crew and six passengers, were among the 3,711 people on board the quarantined ship that arrived at the Japanese coast earlier this month. It was quarantined after a passenger who deboarded last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the COVID-19 on the ship.


The Indian embassy is in contact with Japanese authorities, the ship management company and Indian nationals on board the ship. “We have continued our efforts for early disembarkation of our nationals after the end of the quarantine period and subject to favourable results of their tests,” an embassy official told PTI on Saturday.

A third Indian crew on board a cruise ship off the Japanese coast tested positive for the virus, taking the total number of infected Indians to three. The embassy has contacted all three Indians who are currently receiving treatment at medical facilities.