Mexico allows 46 British passengers to leave cruise ship

MEXICO CITY – Mexico allowed 46 British citizens to disembark from a cruise ship off its Caribbean coast and fly home, and in exchange the cruise line paid for 141 Mexicans stuck in England by coronavirus travel restrictions to fly home, the Mexican government said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Mexican navy removed a passenger in critical condition from the Marella Explorer 2 for emergency treatment ashore. The ship was anchored off the Yucatan state port of Puerto Progreso.

The passengers taken off the ship Tuesday were transported to the Yucatan capital of Merida and put on a chartered flight to England. Health precautions were taken, the Mexican government said. The British Embassy in Mexico said “some of the passengers had experienced cold symptoms similar to COVID-19.”

The Mexican and British governments co-ordinated both operations with the cruise ship operator, Marella Cruises, part of British company TUI Travel.

Many of the ship’s passengers were apparently disembarked and returned to their home countries last week. It was unclear how many were still aboard.

The Mexican government has allowed cruise ships to dock in the past and disembark passengers or crew for humanitarian reasons.