MAE: 20 Romanian citizens aboard Zaandam and Rotterdam cruise ships

A number of 20 Romanian citizens who are part of the hired personnel are aboard Zaandam and Rotterdam cruise ships, where cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. The cruise ships are currently docked in Fort Lauderdale (the U.S.), a release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) shows.

According to the pieces of information received by Romania's Consulate General in Miami from the company representatives, aboard Zaandam cruise ship there are eight Romanian citizens (seven crew members and a Romanian citizen hired based on a service contract), and aboard Rotterdam cruise ship there are 12 Romanian citizens, crew members and contract staff.

The MAE mentions that, so far, the Romanian citizens haven't requested consular assistance to the diplomatic mission or the consular office.

Romania's Embassy in Washington and Romania's General Consulate in Miami are in dialogue with local authorities and company representatives to provide consular assistance, with the strict observance of the law of the state of residence, as well as of the measures imposed by the U.S. authorities in the context of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, the MAE pointed out.

Zaandam cruise ship, aboard which there are passengers infected with the novel coronavirus and which was rejected by several ports in Latin America, received clearance to dock in Florida on 2 April, local authorities said, according to AFP.

"The Coast Guard, Homeland Security, health officials, and Broward County have reached a decision to allow the Zaandam and Rotterdam cruise ships to dock at Port Everglades," in Fort Lauderdale region, Mayor of this city Dean Trantalis wrote on Twitter. Passengers were able to leave the ships, under controlled conditions, depending on their health status.