Florida docking plan in the works for ill-fated cruise ships

MIAMI » Passengers from an illfated South American cruise are eager to disembark once they reach Florida, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on ships’ coronavirus caseload. The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that the decision would be punted to Washington if authorities can’t agree.

With the Zaandam and Rotterdam ships set to arrive later this week and at least two people on board needing emergency attention, a “unified command” of state, local and federal officials will be asked to approve a detailed docking plan requiring the cruise line, Holland America, to handle all medical issues without impacting South Florida’s already-stressed hospitals.

“There are no great choices left. These are all tough outcomes,” Coast Guard Captain Jo-Ann Burdian told Broward County commissioners at an emergency meeting Tuesday.

Two of the four deaths on board the Zaandam have been blamed on COVID-19 and nine people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the company said.

Holland America said the Rotterdam took on nearly 1,400 people who appear to be healthy from its sister ship, leaving 450 guests and 602 crew members on the Zaandam, including more than 190 who said they are sick. More than 300 U.S. citizens are on both ships combined.

The governor said Tuesday he had been in contact with the White House about getting medical supplies to the ships to treat sick passengers on board.

“Just to drop people off at the place where we’re having the highest number of cases right now just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” DeSantis said at a news conference.

President Trump said later Tuesday that he would discuss the matter with the Florida governor.

“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said in Washington. “I’m going to do what’s right. Not only for us, but for humanity.”

Holland America President Orlando Ashford penned an opinion column in the South Florida Sun Sentinel to plead with officials and residents to let the passengers disembark.

JUAN HUERGO VIA AP In this March 28 photo provided by Juan Huergo, Laura Gabaroni and her husband Juan Huergo take a selfie on board a tender after they were evacuated from the Zaandam, a Holland American cruise ship, near the Panama Canal. The Orlando- area couple was transferred to the Rotterdam, together with others who were deemed healthy. Four people have died on board the Zaandam and many others have are suffering from flu-like symptoms.