Coronavirus Cruise Ship: Groups Of Healthy Passengers Allowed Off Coral Princess
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - After a month onboard the Coral Princess, 134 more passengers finally got off the ship.
They were greeted by people in hazmat suits as they boarded buses.
They headed to Miami International Airport, with a police escort. Once there, they boarded a charter flight.
Flights were going to Columbus, Ohio, Newark, New Jersey, and Toronto, Canada.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said getting Americans home got more difficult over the weekend after the CDC changed the rules. It prevents cruise ship passengers from going on commercial flights and riding in ground transportation with people who were not on the ship.
Some passengers were being wheeled off the ship and loaded into an ambulance. CBS4 cameras captured one of 3, so far on Monday.
Over the weekend 17 people were taken to hospitals. One died.
Relatives told the Miami Herald Wilson Maa did not survive, that his family called 911 for help and that he did not leave the ship for hours.
Mayor Gimenez said there's no record of that 911 call.
"We were told somehow he was trying to access 911, we have no, at least until now, we have no record of anyone trying to access 911," Mayor Gimenez said.
"We made it very clear to the line, that anybody who's in critical condition who needs to be transported to the hospital, they should call 911."
Julie Sprague-McRae knew the man who died. She was onboard the ship as well and got home to Northern California late Sunday. "I am happy to be home, but saddened for those who this was their last voyage and they did not make it home," she said.
She's still worried about those on board. "I still feel, however, that there are lots that need to be done to assure that the people remaining on that coral ship have access to the medical care they need.
Mayor Gimenez believes there are up to 200 Americans still on board the ship waiting for flights home. He said that it could take several days are Princess deals with those new CDC guidelines and sets up more charter flights.
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