NSW POLICE LAUNCH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE RUBY PRINCESS DEBACLE

NSW Police have launched a criminal investigation into the docking of the Ruby Princess in Circular Quay last month, which has resulted in more than 600 cases of Coronavirus nationwide.

New South Wales Police Commissioner, Mick Fuller, said the investigation would help explain why more than 2700 passengers on board to disembark in Sydney and how much was known about the illnesses on board.

“There are many unanswered questions and I can’t answer those for you today,” Commissioner Fuller said.

NSW Police say the incident began on the 18th March, the day before the ship docked in Sydney, when a triple-0 call was made from Carnival Cruise worker to NSW Ambulance.

The cruise worker told paramedics two passengers were ill with respiratory infections.

Thousands of passengers disembarked in Sydney the next day, before travelling to all corners of the country. Some, taking the virus with them.

“There seems to be absolute discrepencies between the information provided by Carnival Crusies and what I would see as the benchmark for the laws of the Federal Government and the State Government,” Commissioner Fuller said.

Commissioner Fuller said a number of charges could be brought under both NSW and Federal law.

“You’ve got overarching Biosecurity Acts from the national perspective and then you have state legislation in terms of borders and then you have the criminal neglience type of crime”

“But we’re only at the beginning.”

There have currently been 10 coronavirus deaths which can be directly traced to the Ruby Princess, three of those occurring overnight in New South Wales.

Given the high mortality rate associated with the vessel, police have called on the New South Wales Coroner to assist the investigation.

“That’s a significant amount of deaths for the one incident,” said Commissioner Fuller, “so there will be that oversight from the coroner.”

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has copped criticism for his department’s handling of the incident, though Commissioner Fuller today said he isn’t to blame.

“Just to be sure, from a Minister’s perspective, you’re not a decision maker.”

“”He’s not operationally engaged in making those 24/7 decisions.”

The Ruby Princess remains in Australian waters, bobbing off the coast of New South Wales, near Wollongong.

It’s crew are still onboard, 200 of them are ill and showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Commissioner Fuller says COVID-19 tests are being conducted onboard and medical help is being offered to those who need it.

“We’re trying to get the ship in a better location, a more stable location, those things are very hard to do at sea.”

“We will hopefully find a safe port to dock it (but) it certainly won’t be Sydney Harbour.”

Police want the passengers who travelled on the Ruby Princess in March to come forward with information about their trip.

“There are thousands of witnesses out there who were passengers on the ship who will have cruical information.”

If you travelled on the Ruby Princess, get in touch with police by calling Crimestoppers
on 1800 333 000