Florida docking plan in works for ill-fated cruise ships

MIAMI: Passengers from an ill-fated South American cruise are anxious 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 another ship’s 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 arriving as early as Wednesday 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 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.

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 he had been in contact with the White House about diverting them. “We cannot afford to have people who are not even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources,” Desantis told Fox News on Monday.

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.

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony called the situation a “humanitarian crisis” and asked commissioners not to vote based on emotion. Allowing the ship to dock would burden the local healthcare system and put residents at risk of additional exposure, he warned.

“This ship has been turned away from several countries already,” Tony said. “We are in some very, very critical circumstances where we as a county are going to have to determine are we willing to take on this responsibility.”