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Cruise ship Filipino crew member dies of Covid-19
“On behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, I wish to extend our sympathy and condolences to the family and co-workers of the Grand Princess crew member who passed away on April 1.
MANILA – A Filipino crew member of the Grand Princess cruise ship has died of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in San Francisco said on Saturday.
“On behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, I wish to extend our sympathy and condolences to the family and co-workers of the Grand Princess crew member who passed away on April 1. It is with deep sadness that we join his family, relatives, and friends, in mourning his passing,” Consul General Henry Bensurto Jr.
said in a statement.
Bensurto said the PCG will coordinate with concerned authorities the handling of the crew member’s remains.
Based on the recent release by the Department of Foreign Affairs, 13 Filipino crew members aboard the cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19 and “were brought to a care facility for treatment” while 78 others volunteered to remain on board to be part of the essential workers manning the ship.
Bensurto said the PCG continues to engage with US authorities and the Carnival Corp. for the welfare of the remaining Filipino crew members and their eventual repatriation.
“According to the updates, no definitive repatriation plans have been finalized as of the present as ‘many countries have closed their borders and due to the pervasive air travel restrictions worldwide (whether commercial or charter), repatriation of the crew on all of its ships is being worked out on a holistic basis,” a separate PCG statement read.
