More than 20 cruise ships have departed Manila Bay in the Philippines as the huge Typhoon Vongfong makes landfall.
Cruise Ships Repatriating Crew Depart Due to Typhoon
No doubt by now everyone has heard read about all the cruise ships which have been anchored in Manila Bay in the Philippines each day. More than 20 cruise ships have been there each day as cruise lines around the world are working on repatriating crew members back home due to the ongoing global pandemic.
However, there is Typhoon Vongfong which has already started battering the Philippines which is hampering the repatriation effort at Manila Bay. The Typhoon which is Asia’s equivalent of Hurricanes is currently hitting the country as many cruise ships are sailing away.
More than 18 cruise ships have already departed the bay and many of them were in the middle of repatriation Filipino crew members. Some of the cruise ships are from major cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard Line.
As of writing this Royal Princess and Pacific Princess still remain anchored in the bay but they are also expected to depart as the powerful Typhoon heads towards the capital. Cruise ships will return to the bay once the typhoon passes and hopefully, the repatriation effort will be able to continue as normal.
The Philippines Coast Guard has been working with the cruise ships by testing crew members for COVID-19 and all crew to undergo a 14-day quarantine ashore. After that, the crew has been able to travel back to their homes in different parts of the country.
Also Read: Almost a Dozen Cruise Ships Anchored in Manila Bay in One Day
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Typhoon Vongfong made landfall over San Andres, Quezon and is moving northwest at 15 kph.
A storm surge height of up to 2.0 meters is expected in some coastal areas along with heavy rainfall. In these conditions, there is no way cruise ships would be able to anchor or even operate tenders to the shore. Vongfong currently has maximum sustained winds of 125 kph and gusts of up to 165 kph.
