Why Were 2,700 Passengers Let Off Virus-Stricken Cruise Ship?

Australian authorities—including a homicide unit—are investigating why the Ruby Princess cruise ship was allowed to dock in Sydney last month in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and allow nearly 2,700 passengers to disembark.

More than 600 passengers and crew onboard the Ruby Princess, owned by Carnival Corp., have since tested positive for the virus, making it the single biggest source of coronavirus infections in Australia according to Forbes.

The Australian Department of Health says 2,637 of those passengers are now in the state of New South Wales, on the country’s east coast, and that 11 passengers have since died—almost a third of the 36 virus-related deaths in Australia.

The Ruby Princess docked in Sydney on March 19. New South Wales Police Commissioner said there are “many unanswered questions” about the docking, including whether there were any discrepancies regarding the number of passengers known to be sick. The information provided by the ship’s owners, Carnival Australia, part of Carnival Corp., have not answered whether the ship followed local law and whether the captain assured local authorities that the ship was virus-free.

The local government is also under scrutiny since health authorities declared the ship low-risk, allowing passengers to leave and self-isolate for 14 days.

Forbes noted that the Ruby Princess still has 1,040 crew from 50 different countries on board—about 200 of them experiencing coronavirus symptoms—but the boat is now docked at Port Kembla some 62 miles of Sydney, where ships can no longer dock due to the Australian travel ban.