Last Updated on June 11, 2020, 6:17 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The apparent suicide of a crew member on the visiting Harmony of the Seas cruise liner has now raised concern over the welfare of thousands of crew members of the ship.
Luxury liners have become quarantine and isolation centres where the crews are confined while they await for repatriation to their respective homelands amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The spotlight was thrown on the plight with the death yesterday of a young Philippine crew member.
Inspector Rodney Inniss has said that after the body of Maria Jocson was discovered hanging from a bedsheet at the balcony of her room yesterday, Coroner Renee Manila took over the case.
Inspector Inniss said the coroner also later approved the release of the body of the 28-year-old assistant waitress to Lyndhurst Funeral Home following initial investigations by detectives. Lyndhurst is preparing Jocson’s body for return to her family in the Phillippines.
The body of Maria Jocson was found hanging from the balcony of her room on the Harmony of the Seas.
The Philippine woman was one of 2,000 crew members onboard the Harmony of the Seas awaiting passage to their respective home countries. They make up a small group of between 150,000 and 200,000 seafarers trapped on these vessels by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
On the heels of the incident, Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey has appealed to regional and international communities to allow the repatriation of citizens, stranded onboard cruise ships.
As he extended condolences to the young woman’s family and friends on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, Humphrey highlighted the need for empathy and compassion at a difficult time.
Humphrey said: “Those of us who have been asked to quarantine at home; those of us who have had restrictions on our mobility, it’s been difficult, and the mental anguish has been tremendous.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
