Trump says Florida will evacuate stranded cruise ships
FORT LAUDERDALE, UNITED STATES (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday (April 1) that US authorities will evacuate passengers from a stranded cruise ship due to dock in Florida after being barred from several South American countries because of a coronavirus outbreak aboard.
Both the cruise ship Zaandam, where dozens of people have fallen ill, and its sister ship Rotterdam are due to enter US waters early Thursday ahead of their expected docking in Fort Lauderdale.
Mr Trump said the US was "sending medical teams on board the ships" and taking people off, with foreigners sent home
"We're taking the Canadians off and giving them to Canadian authorities," he said. "Same thing with the UK. But we have to help the people. They're in big trouble."
State Governor Ron DeSantis, who issued a stay-at-home order on Wednesday for Florida's 21 million residents, had earlier stated he didn't want the ships to come into port.
But late Wednesday he told Fox News network that he had not realised there were US citizens aboard.
The ships' operator, Holland America Line, said it was awaiting confirmation that disembarkation will take place in Fort Lauderdale.
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