Rescue plan for cruise ship Britons after UK passenger John Carter dies after contracting coronavirus

The Foreign Office today said it was “finalising” arrangements for evacuation flights to rescue British passengers on two virus-hit cruise ships set to dock in Florida.

Four people have died aboard the Zaandam, including 75-year-old Briton John Carter, whose widow has been isolated on the ship since his death.

They were among 200 Britons on the liner, which has nine confirmed cases of Covid-19 and has some 200 people with reported flu-like symptoms.

The Zaandam offloaded its healthy passengers at Rotterdam earlier this week, with both vessels having been denied entry to ports in several countries.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are working closely with the tour operator, Holland America Line, to finalise flight arrangements for British nationals to return to the UK. Details will be available in due course.”

The liner, and sister ship the Rotterdam, are seeking to dock in Florida but local authorities have been reluctant to take more patients into a state healthcare system already stretched by the coronavirus outbreak.

However, President Trump last night said there was no choice but to allow the ships to dock and for those on board to disembark.

Speaking at the daily White House coronavirus briefing, Mr Trump said: “We have to from a humane standpoint... People are dying.”

It came after Mr Carter’s family issued a statement saying his widow urgently required assistance.

“She is obviously distressed and extremely frightened. They were both in good health.” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab earlier this week announced a £75million plan to rescue Britons abroad.

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