Ireland

Irish government considers options over citizens trapped on coronavirus-stricken liner

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been hit with a coronavirus outbreak
The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been hit with a coronavirus outbreak The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been hit with a coronavirus outbreak

THE Irish government has said it is "examining its options" regarding the evacuation of Irish citizens on board a cruise ship in Japan where hundreds of cases of coronavirus have been confirmed among passengers.

More than 450 cases of the potentially deadly virus have been reported on the Diamond Princess ship, from which over 300 US passengers have been evacuated and flown back to America, while remaining passengers have been confined to cabins in a bid to halt further spread.

It is understood that up to 200 Australian passengers will be removed from the luxury liner tomorrow, while the Canadian government has confirmed it will charter flights to take its citizens home.

The Irish government is currently considering its next move in relation to Irish passengers trapped on the ship, which is currently docked close to Yokohama.

It is not yet known how many Irish are on board the Diamond Princess, and speaking on Monday, a spokesperson for the Irish Department for Foreign Affairs said it was "examining its options" after confirming Irish nationals were among those onboard.

The ship was carrying 3,700 passengers and crew from over 50 countries and territories when it docked at Yokohama and was placed in isolation by teams from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.