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DPA
Canberra
Police say they are launching a criminal investigation into why a cruise ship was allowed to disembark in Sydney, resulting in more than 10 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Australia.
The Ruby Princess, owned by British-American cruise operator Carnival, docked in Sydney Harbour on March 8 after 11 days at sea.
Border and health authorities allowed some 2,700 passengers to leave with only minimal checks, even though about a dozen passengers had shown respiratory symptoms before they disembarked.
The debacle is responsible for at least 622 of Australia’s total coronavirus cases, while 11 of the country’s 35 Covid-19 deaths have been Ruby Princess passengers.
The police will look into whether national and state biosecurity and border laws were breached, as well as if any “criminal negligence-type crimes” have been committed, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.
Fuller said it was too early to tell if a crime had been committed, but there was “clear evidence” that the novel coronavirus was brought off the ship.
The criminal investigation will also look into the actions of every agency involved, including the port authority, paramedics, police, the state health department, as well as the officials on board the ship and the cruise company Carnival Australia.
Canberra
Police say they are launching a criminal investigation into why a cruise ship was allowed to disembark in Sydney, resulting in more than 10 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Australia.
The Ruby Princess, owned by British-American cruise operator Carnival, docked in Sydney Harbour on March 8 after 11 days at sea.
Border and health authorities allowed some 2,700 passengers to leave with only minimal checks, even though about a dozen passengers had shown respiratory symptoms before they disembarked.
The debacle is responsible for at least 622 of Australia’s total coronavirus cases, while 11 of the country’s 35 Covid-19 deaths have been Ruby Princess passengers.
The police will look into whether national and state biosecurity and border laws were breached, as well as if any “criminal negligence-type crimes” have been committed, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.
Fuller said it was too early to tell if a crime had been committed, but there was “clear evidence” that the novel coronavirus was brought off the ship.
The criminal investigation will also look into the actions of every agency involved, including the port authority, paramedics, police, the state health department, as well as the officials on board the ship and the cruise company Carnival Australia.
