On March 13, the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland requested the Cuban authorities the granting of a berthing permit for the MS Braemar, from the Fred Olsen cruise lines, to berth at a Cuban port, with a small number of passengers affected by the novel coronavirus (SARS CoV 2/Covid-19), and their repatriation via airplane.
In the face of the urgency of the situation and the risk to the lives of those ill, the government of Cuba has decided to grant berthing permit to the vessel and will adopt the health measures established for welcoming all passengers on board under the protocols established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba.
In coordination with British authorities, arrangements have been made to ensure that upon the arrival of the cruise passengers to the national territory, they are safely and immediately returned to the United Kingdom on charter flights from British airline companies.
These are times of solidarity, of understanding health as a human right, of strengthening international cooperation to face our common challenges; these values are inherent in the humanistic practice of the Revolution and our people.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba
Havana, March 16, 2020.