Over 400 Filipinos on cruise ship off Yokohama flying home

February 25, 2020

Over 400 Filipinos at the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship which was imposed with a 14-day quarantine by Japanese authorities to prevent the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-2019), will leave Japan for the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

They will board two planes, with the first having left at 10:30 am at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The second plane left NAIA at 12:20 pm, the DFA said.

''Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs-PH Embassy in Tokyo with Department of Health team now at Yokohama Port ready for the disembarkation of over 400 Filipino crew members,'' said the DFA.

The DFA said the first plane will be arriving at Clark on 8:30 pm while the second will be coming in at 10:40 am.

The over 400 Filipinos will undergo a 14-day quarantine at the New Clark City's Athletes Village.

There are 538 Filipinos aboard the Diamond Princess but 59 Filipinos have tested positive for COV-19 as of Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) said. Filipino ship crew number 531 while seven are passengers. DMS