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Cruise firm out of pocket after rescued migrants refuse to leave ship
Almost 300 migrants rescued off the coast of Cyprus by a cruise ship refused to leave the boat costing the cruise line ‘several hundred thousand’ euros.
Salamis Cruise Lines was forced to cancel the cruise which was due to continue to Haifa, Israel with 300 passengers while it negotiated with the refugees.
Although recent reports suggest they now leaving, after previously insisting on being taken to Italy, the situation has cost the company ‘several hundred thousand’ euros, reports the Guardian.
Yesterday, cruise ship Salamis Filoxenia was instructed to change course and rescue more than 300 people, thought to be Syrian refugees, from a small boat south of Paphos due to ‘inclement weather’.
The Salamis Cruise Lines’ ship, with a crew of 230 and a passenger capacity of 800, gave people blankets, medical care and food while taking them to the Cypriot port of Limassol.
But most of the refugees refused to get off, insisting the cruise line took them to Italy
Salamis Cruise Lines managing director Kikis Vassiliou said yesterday: "We were supposed to sail at 10:30 tonight (19:30 GMT), unfortunately these people want to negotiate.
"They want us to send them to Italy."
Vasiliou had blamed Cypriot authorities for keeping him in the dark about how they intended to resolve the situation.
"There is no responsible person to negotiate and to explain the situation." he said.
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