Coronavirus: Centre assures to bring back stranded Indian seafarers; Goa prepares for their quarantine

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Y Naik met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his deputy V Muraleedharan to assure that all possible efforts are being made to bring back the Indian seafarers stranded in different parts of the world.

"As per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for sign-in and sign-off of Indian Seafarers at Indian Ports and their movement issued on April 21 late night all the Indian Seafarers including Goan brothers on various cruise boats/liners etc around Indian shores will be brought onshore or join a vessel with all due care," said Naik in a statement.

He thanked the central government for timely help and decision, which will give relief to the seafarers stranded on different vessels near Indian ports. "This will also end the hardship caused to seafarers and pave the way to return to their homes safely," he said.

After the central government's guidelines allowing disembarkment of the seafarers stranded on Indian shores, Goa is readying itself to quarantine Goans who were working as crew on three different ships as a precautionary measure to contain corona spread.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the crew members from three different ships would be disembarked in Mumbai on Wednesday.

"As per the order of Union Ministry of Home Affairs, all the Goans working on these three ships which are stranded on Indian shore would be brought to Goa," he said.

Sawant said that they would be tested for COVID-19 after being brought to Goa and would undergo quarantine for 14 days.

(ANI)

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