TASS, February 15: Seven Russian passengers have left the troubled Westerdam cruise ship docked in Cambodia’s port of Sihanoukville on Saturday to return home, the Russian embassy in Cambodia told TASS. The Westerdam was forced to sail around Asian ports looking for one to dock for more than a week because of coronavirus fears.
According to the diplomatic mission, three female passengers from St. Petersburg were the first to leave. They arrived in Phnom Penh and will fly to Bangkok in the evening already and later to St. Petersburg. The Muscovite family of four will spend a day in the Cambodian capital, flying home on February 16 also via Bangkok. The embassy underlined that all expenses are covered by the Westerdam cruise operator - Holland America Line.
The Westerdam cruise ship with 1,455 passengers and 802 crewmembers left Hong Kong on February 1. The ship was planning stopovers in a number of Japanese ports. These plans were axed since Japan feared that people that had possible contracted the novel coronavirus could be aboard the ship. Subsequently, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand also turned the ship away.
The Westerdam was stuck for more than a week trying to dock in Asian ports. Eventually, it was cleared to do so by Cambodian authorities and entered Sihanoukville on Thursday morning.
