Some 2,000 Filipino seafarers were about to be airlifted to Manila on board a chartered plane from Orlando, Florida USA after the Carnival Corporation ship owner of Costa Lines in cooperation with the Magsaysay Shipping arranging charter flights for Filipino seafarers.
The ships, Costa Lines are still off the port of Miami and those who will fly back home are still waiting for the owner of Costa Lines for a charter flight to bring Filipinos back to Manila.
Two Costa Cruises ships, the Costa Magica and the Costa Favolosa were anchored near the port of Miami on Thursday with ill crew members on board.
Unidentified six crew members are to get off of the Magica and seven will leave the Favolosa. All will be taken to a local hospital for treatment, observation and testing while suffering from flu-like symptoms with similar to that of coronavirus, according to USA Today report.
"At this point, the ships do not have official clearance for entry into the Port of Miami," as they are waiting for the clearance and the US Coast Guard as they were told to remain at least three miles offshore.
When docked at Miami, the crews will be taken by buses from Miami to Orlando, Florida where the chartered planes will take off for Manila.
Most of the crew members are to be flown to Manila those who are finishing their contracts, those who have finished 5 months of their contracts and those who have volunteered to be repatriated to Manila.