Brits evacuated from coronavirus-hit cruise ship Diamond Princess on flight back to UK

Tim Baker22 February 2020

A plane carrying Britons who were trapped on a coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan are on board a flight back to the UK.

The evacuation flight, carrying 32 British and European passengers who had been on the Diamond Princess, took off from Japan at around 11pm GMT on Friday.

It is due to land at Boscombe Down, a Ministry of Defence base in Wiltshire, at around midday on Saturday.

The Diamond Princess, which was quarantined in Yokohama 16 days ago, has seen the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases after China.

Holidaymakers spent more than two weeks on the cruise ship under quarantine.

Coronavirus: Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined

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There have already been more than 630 cases of coronavirus confirmed among the Diamond Princess passengers and two deaths. There were 3,700 passengers on board.

The Foreign Office said the evacuation flight also had British government and medical staff on board.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship
AFP via Getty Images

After landing, passengers will be transported to Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral for 14 days of quarantine.

This is the same location that Britons evacuated from Wuhan at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak were taken.

It is unclear where the small number of EU citizens will be taken once the plane lands in the UK.

Before the flight, one passenger who was diagnosed with coronavirus and has since been given the all-clear joked that the experience would be like visiting a holiday camp.

Honeymooner Alan Steele was taken to a Japanese hospital and has since tested negative for the virus and been reunited with wife Wendy.

“Wendy’s test was negative so Butlins the Wirral here we come for 14 days,” Mr Steele posted on Facebook.

Diamond Princess passenger Alan Steele
Sky News

It is understood some British nationals who are part of the Diamond Princess crew opted to remain on board.

Some British nationals who were passengers did not register for the flight. It is understood some have returned to their homes overseas, while a number boarded an evacuation flight to Hong Kong where they live.

The four Britons on board who have tested positive for coronavirus were not on the flight.

Meanwhile, Britons in Cambodia who left another cruise ship, the Westerdam, and who have been cleared for travel are also being assisted by the Foreign Office to make their way home.

All have tested negative after one case was diagnosed on board.

In order to help combat the spread of the virus in the UK, the NHS has started pilots of home testing for coronavirus where NHS staff, including nurses and paramedics, will visit people in their own homes.

Professor Keith Willett, NHS strategic incident director for coronavirus, said home testing was a way to limit the spread of infection.

“Anyone who is concerned they have signs and symptoms, should continue to use NHS 111 as their first point of contact – they will tell you exactly what you need to do and where necessary, the right place to be tested,” Professor Willett said.

“People should also play their part by following public health advice – wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze, and put used tissues in the bin immediately.”