Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Border Guard in Makkah Province have evacuated an injured Brazilian passenger, 86, along with his daughter and a sick Belgian woman, 73, along with her husband, from the Costa Deliziosa carrying the Italian flag in Red Sea waters last Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) cited the spokesman of the Border Guard Lt. Col. Misfer Ghannam Al-Quraini as saying Friday.

The Jeddah Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (JMRCC) had earlier received a telephone call from its Italian counterpart on the need to evacuate the two passengers due to injury of one and illness of the other.

Lt. Col. Al-Quraini further said that the Border Guard coordinated with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to transport the two passengers, accompanied by a medical team from the Border Guard to one of the hospitals to provide them with the necessary healthcare.

They had to take into consideration all the necessary medical precautionary measures to prevent any transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

In this regard, all the medical tests on the evacuees proved negative for the COVID-19 virus. The cases are still under follow up while all the regulatory paperwork is being completed with the competent authorities.