YOKOHAMA – The Diamond Princess, the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship that was quarantined in the port of Yokohama in February, left for Malaysia on Saturday for its crew to return, the Japanese unit of Carnival Corp. said.
The ship, which was carrying 3,700 passengers and crew from 56 countries and regions, generated headlines worldwide as the government’s attempt to contain the virus courted controversy. Some 712 people aboard were ultimately found infected with COVID-19 and 13 died.
The British-flagged, U.S.-run ship completed disinfection work and quarantine under the Japanese health ministry’s guidelines in March. It then moved 5 km to dock at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. plant in Yokohama to undergo interior remodeling, Carnival Japan Inc. said.
Japan-related tours for the Diamond Princess will be suspended until Oct. 1. Whether the ship will be put back into service after that date will be decided later and it will stay in Malaysia until then, the Tokyo-based unit said.