Passengers stranded overnight on ferry in Birkenhead after Covid-19 outbreak
A total of 322 passengers and 53 staff members were on the vessel as it remained in Merseyside
Updated
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COVID Outbreak on Ferry Leaves Nearly 400 People Stranded
On 12/16/20 at 11:53 AM EST
Six crew members tested positive for COVID-19 on a Stena Line ferry traveling to Belfast, Northern Ireland, leaving the ship s 322 passengers and all 53 workers stranded overnight on Tuesday.
They were held on board near the town of Birkenhead, on the bank of the River Mersey, just opposite the city of Liverpool, in northwest England.
A spokesperson for the ferry company said: Stena Line can confirm that six members of the crew of the Stena Edda have tested positive for COVID-19 last night. In line with our safety protocols we alerted the Port Health Authorities, who advised us to hold the vessel in Birkenhead as a precaution.
Over 300 ferry passengers kept on ship overnight after crew test positive for coronavirus
The Stena Line ship was held in dock at Birkenhead overnight after six people contracted Covid-19
The Stena Line ferry which runs between Liverpool and Belfast
Credit: Peter Powell
More than 300 ferry passengers have been kept on a ship overnight after six members of the crew tested positive for coronavirus.
The Stena Line ship, due to travel from Merseyside to Belfast, was held in dock at Birkenhead overnight on Tuesday. Passengers were due to disembark on Wednesday morning.
A spokesman for the ferry operator said: Stena Line can confirm that six members of the crew of the Stena Edda have tested positive for Covid-19 last night.
Passengers on the Stena Line ship Stena Edda were due to leave Liverpool at 10.30pm last night.
But while many woke up expecting to have arrived in Northern Ireland this morning, the irate passengers found they had not moved from the port in Birkenhead, Merseyside.
The vessel, carrying 322 passengers and 53 crew members, was held at the Twelve Quays terminal on the instruction of the Port Health Authorities.
One passenger this morning said many of those on board had resigned themselves to being stuck.
But passengers were disembarked by 11.45am and moved across to the ferry line s Stena Mersey vessel docked next door to continue their journey to Belfast.
Stena Line Liverpool to Belfast ferry held overnight as six crew test positive for coronavirus
322 passengers were left onboard the docked vessel in Birkenhead overnight
Updated
Stena Edda berthed at the company s River Mersey Birkenhead terminal (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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