More than 320 passengers were stranded overnight on a ferry bound for Belfast from Liverpool after some crew members contracted coronavirus.
The port health authorities at Liverpool instructed the Stena Line ferry to be held at Birkenhead, across the River Mersey from the city, as a precaution.
There were 322 passengers and 53 crew on board, according to a report in The Irish Times.
Stena said the six crew members who tested positive for Covid-19 were “being cared for and are doing well, with only mild symptoms”.
Fifteen close contacts also were identified and were self-isolating.
“Stena Line is liaising closely with public health authorities on this matter who have advised us that we should disembark the vessel in Birkenhead,” Stena said in a statement to The Irish Times.
“The welfare of our passengers and crew is paramount at this time. The passengers are being catered for and we will assist them with alternative travel arrangements,” the company added.
On Wednesday morning Stena said it had got permission to transfer the passengers to another vessel for a crossing to Belfast.
A spokesman said the passengers should not face any danger of contracting Covid-19 from crew members as the six who tested positive were not “customer-facing” and had no direct dealings with passengers.
