Covid-19 coronavirus: Kiwis stuck on cruise ship to disembark and fly home

By RNZ

More than one hundred Kiwis on a cruise ship off the coast of Perth will be allowed to disembark their ship to fly home.

The Vasco da Gama was initially refused to dock in Perth, but New Zealanders have now been granted permission to get off and take an Air New Zealand flight home tonight.

Australians on board have been told they have to go into isolation on Rottnest Island, a protected nature reserve island off the coast of Perth.

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Western Australia's Premier says the ship docked at Freemantle Port so the New Zealanders can be taken to an airport.

The Vasco da Gama was involved in a dramatic passenger swap off the coast of Thailand.

Its Europe-bound passengers used lifeboats to get on board another ship, the Columbus, and 108 New Zealanders and dozens of Australians got onto the Vasco da Gama.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Meanwhile, other New Zealanders still stranded in Australia will fly back home on a special flight landing in Queenstown this afternoon.

Virgin Australia is putting on the flight that will then return to Brisbane with Australian travellers who have been stranded here.

Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult says Queenstown Airport's international terminal will be closed till international borders re-open.