Two Australians were left stranded on a remote island off West Africa after their cruise ship abandoned them.
The passengers were part of a group of nine left behind in Sao Tome and Principe, about 500 kilometers from Gabon.
It is understood the group were refused entry to Norwegian Dawn’s ship after returning late from a tour.
Jill and Jay Campbell, from South Carolina in the United States, saying The tour operator called the captain to inform him that the passengers were going to be delayed and were on their way.
While the ship was still anchored in the harbor, the captain refused to let them board and told the Coast Guard to take them back to the island.
Two Australians were left stranded on a remote island off West Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship abandoned them.
“The captain could have made an easy decision: turn one of the tenders back, pick us up, load us safely and then be on our way,” he said. ABC15.
After numerous attempts to contact the cruise line, the group desperately tries to find a way to get back on board the ship.
The group consists of seven Americans and two Australians, four of whom are elderly, one has a heart condition and another is a paraplegic. There is another couple from Delaware and the wife is pregnant.
Another woman in her 80s was left behind after being hospitalized on the island with a concussion following a tour.
She is believed to have been left without any money or belongings, and none of the other passengers have their medications or credit cards.
The Campbells have spent more than $5,000 on food, toiletries and hotels for the group, since they are the only ones with a Visa card.
With the help of the US embassy in Angola, the group will fly to Gambia on Sunday, but they will only be able to rejoin the cruise if the Norwegian approves their request.
So far, the group has not received any response.
A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said guests missed the final transfer back to the ship, failing to adhere to the 3:00 p.m. local time “all aboard” schedule.
The passengers were part of a group of nine who were abandoned in Sao Tome and Principe, about 500 kilometers from Gabon.
“While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the posted time, which is widely communicated via the ship’s intercom, in daily communication, and is posted just prior to leaving the ship.” , reads the statement.
He went on to explain that guests are responsible for any travel costs necessary to return to the ship at the next available port of call.
“When guests did not return to the ship at the scheduled time, their passports were handed over to local port agents to be retrieved when they returned to port,” he said.
“Our team has been working closely with local authorities to understand the requirements and visas needed if guests were to return to the ship at the next available port of call.”
Norwegian Cruise Line staff are communicating with guests and providing additional information as it becomes available.
WhatsNew2Day Australia has contacted the cruise company for further comment, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
