A cruise ship has been stranded off the coast of Australia for seven days due to a fungal infection

800 tourists are waiting in front of Australia

The cruise ship was not allowed to dock for seven days due to a fungal infection

Monday, 01/02/2023 | 06:32

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Passengers of the Viking Orion cruise ship have not been able to go ashore for seven days. Perhaps the reason for this was the massive fungal infection in the cruiser’s hull, such as Guardian reports. “Marine plants” have formed on the ship, the Australian Associated Press reports. Viking Orion with 800 passengers had to return to four ports.

Mushrooms on a cruise ship: 800 tourists are waiting in front of Australia

On Boxing Day, the ship left Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, and set course for Christchurch. During the first phase of the sea, the Australian National Maritime Coordination Center found a small amount of so-called biofouls, that is, microorganisms, plants, algae and animals, on the ship’s hull. The ship was denied entry to Australian waters. The agency fears that harmful marine organisms could be introduced into Australian waters.

The crew desperately tried to dock in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hobart and Adelaide to clean up the ship – but all ports have so far refused permission. Divers are due to clean the hull on Sunday while the ship is outside Australian territorial waters. According to the shipping company, the ship should dock in Melbourne on Monday and then continue the journey.

“We realize that the cruise did not meet your expectations.”

Shipping Viking talks about a normal shipping procedure. Passengers must be compensated for disruption to their flight. The captain was already self-deprecating in his message to the passengers: “We realize that the current cruise does not meet your expectations.”