“We received information that three crew members aboard the KM Lambelu had undergone rapid testing and tested positive for the disease,” the province’s COVID-19 task force head Marius Ardu Jelamu said.

Based on the information, Sikka Regent Fransiskus Roberto Diego decided to keep the ship away from the region, as the administration awaited the test results of every person on board.

Given that rapid tests only provide rudimentary information on whether a person has contracted the coronavirus, the administration would send swab samples of the three crewmen for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests at a laboratory in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to obtain more conclusive results.

The vessel, owned by state ship operator PT Pelni, was carrying 233 passengers and crewmen from Nunukan, North Kalimantan, and was originally scheduled to dock at Lorens Say Port in Sikka on Monday.

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Upon entering Maumere Gulf off the coast of Sikka in the early hours of Monday, the ship was told to wait for the arrival of a medical team that would conduct COVID-19 testing of everyone on board.

Passengers became agitated after waiting at sea for nearly 24 hours, afraid that they had been left stranded with insufficient provisions. Some decided to jump off the ship in the hope of being able to swim to shore.

“Two passengers jumped off the ship when it was still at sea. Fortunately, they were rescued by Navy vessels, as well as the Maumere search and rescue team,” Marius said.

The ship was eventually allowed to dock at Lorens Say Port on Tuesday evening after the medical team completed the rapid testing. All passengers were immediately put into quarantine for 14 days, Marius went on to say.

Meanwhile, the three crew members who tested positive for coronavirus have been placed under observation and ordered not to disembark the ship. (rfa)