Plea to Boris to save mum stranded on virus ship
THE daughter of a British woman stranded on a cruise ship has called on the Prime Minister to help.
Jackie, 70, is one of 140 Britons on board the Grand Princess.
It is marooned off the coast of California after 21 people on board tested positive for coronavirus.
Michelle said: “I just want Boris to get involved now.
“My mum’s been told that the Americans are going to leave the ship but there’s been no communication from the British Government at all.
Frustrating
“She hasn’t been outside for three days. The food is inedible now – and I’m really quite concerned.”
Last night the Foreign Office said it is “working intensively” with US authorities to arrange a flight for British nationals aboard.
A spokesman added: “We are also in contact with the Grand Princess’ staff, and are ready to support any British nationals who need our assistance.”
Jackie, from Dartford, Kent, booked the cruise as part of her 70th birthday celebrations. She is stuck in a cabin with a friend.
Michelle added: “She has a headache but she thinks that’s down to stress and not having any fresh air. As for symptoms of the coronavirus, at the moment there’s nothing.”
Patrick and Kim Maguire, from
Gwent, ended up on the stricken ship as a
Jackie Bissell is on a 70th birthday treat replacement to their original holiday to Asia – which was cancelled due to the outbreak. Patrick, 56, said: “It’s a little frustrating because there’s no plan.” Neil and Victoria Hanlon, from Bridgwater, Somerset, are also aboard. Neil said: “Spirits are still pretty high, but it’s still early days and we’re a bit fed up.” Of those infected, 19 are crew members and two are passengers who were on an earlier voyage when a 71-year-old American man died from the virus last month.
Dozens more who were on board with the man remained on the ship for its latest voyage.
The Grand Princess’s 2,383 passengers were on a 15-day trip due to end on Saturday.
Its sister ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined in Japan last month and nearly 700 of the 3,700 passengers were infected with the virus.