Coronavirus: ‘Stern measures’ force liner to sail from WA port

A cruise ship carrying 1700 foreign nationals was due to sail out of WA on Tuesday night after no ­passengers or crew disembarked.

The Magnifica in all its glory alongside the Fremantle docks. Picture: AFP

A cruise ship carrying 1700 foreign nationals was due to sail out of Western Australia on Tuesday night after what Premier Mark McGowan described as “pretty stern measures” ensured no ­passengers or crew disembarked.

MSC Magnifica stopped in Fremantle, south of Perth, to take on fuel and supplies and its owners denied any of its passengers had flu-like symptoms. However, the ship’s arrival sparked crisis talks involving Scott Morrison and Australian Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell just days after thousands of passengers from the Ruby Princess were allowed to disembark at Sydney’s Circular Quay. By midday yesterday, 133 COVID-19 cases had been linked to that vessel.

Dock workers in protective clothing take supplies aboard the MSC Magnifica at Fremantle port. Picture: Getty Images

Mr McGowan said on Monday he had been advised that about 250 of the Swiss-owned Magnifica’s 1700 passengers had reported upper-respiratory illness: “I will not allow what happened in ­Sydney to happen here.”

The next test of Australia’s cruise ship quarantine protocols is expected at 6am Perth time on Friday when the Vasco da Gama is due to arrive in Fremantle. While there were no Australians aboard the Magnifica, the Vasco da Gama is carrying Australian passengers who intend to leave the ship and come ashore in WA.

It was not clear on Tuesday night how many Australians were aboard the Vasco da Gama or whether any of them were ill. The ship left Phuket on March 18.

“We are currently working through what we do there to protect everyone and make sure those Australians receive the best of medical attention,” Mr McGowan said.

He made it clear on Monday that his government would help the ill from any cruise ship arriving at a WA port but he did not want cruise ship passengers or crew wandering Perth streets.

French passengers Jackie and Eliane Roque wave to their friends on land. Picture: Getty Images

“Some ships need to refuel and reprovision to get back to where they came from,” Mr McGowan said.

“The issues will be around the cruise ships that are bringing Australians home so we are going to apply all of the rules that we put in place for those cruise ships.”