Australia police to probe cruise ship virus deaths
April 5, 2020, 6:57 am

Australia police to probe cruise ship virus deaths

Some passengers on the Ruby Princess cruise ship were displaying flu-like symptoms when it berthed in Sydney Harbour File photo AFP

Australian police on Sunday launched a criminal investigation after thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Sydney and 10 later died of the illness. Australia police

The government last month allowed 2,700 passengers to walk off the Carnival Australia-owned Ruby Princess and travel to their homes around the country -- despite a ban on cruise ships docking in Australia being announced just days earlier.

New South Wales state police commissioner Mick Fuller said Sunday that the ship's operators would be investigated over alleged "absolute discrepancies" between information provided to authorities and the requirements of the law.

"The key question that remains unanswered, and a criminal or coronial investigation will need to be conducted, is were Carnival crew transparent in contextualizing the true patient and crew health conditions relevant to COVID-19?" he said.

"The international license to enter a port is on the assurance from the captain to the authorities that the vessel is free from contagious disease."

Some passengers on the ship were displaying flu-like symptoms when it berthed in Sydney Harbour.

Hundreds later tested positive for COVID-19 and 10 people have so far died of the virus, including three in New South Wales overnight.

Fuller said an investigation was the "only way" to determine whether national biosecurity laws and state laws had been broken.

To date, cruise ships have accounted for almost 10 percent of Australia's more than 5,500 infections. Australia police

The issue has become politically fraught, with local pundits dubbing the vessels "Death Ships" and one nervous state leader calling for the navy to intercept a cruise ship full of German tourists.

Public attitudes hardened over the handling of the Ruby Princess, which remains anchored off the coast of Sydney with about 200 crew members exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus.

Fuller said police wanted to examine the ship's records and that Carnival had offered to cooperate with the investigation.

Carnival Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. levant

source: AFP levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”