Spain Shuts Border In Response To Virus Ship

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 11-3-2003

[blam]

Spain shuts border in response to virus ship

Staff and agencies
Monday November 3, 2003

Spain today closed its border with Gibraltar after a British cruise ship hit by a contagious stomach bug docked in the territory. The Aurora left Greek waters on Friday without landing after more than 430 of the passengers fell ill with norovirus, which causes sickness and diarrhoea.

Peter Caruana, Gibraltar's chief minister, said his government let the vessel land because it was not "going to allow 2,000 British tourists to float around the Mediterranean like refugees" and condemned the Spanish response.

"This is a gross over-reaction and responds more to politics than any sensible concern about Spanish public health," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Spain's health ministry said the measure was precautionary and would remain in effect until there was more information about the condition of the infected passengers.

Officials from the Port Authority in Gibraltar are on board the Aurora carrying out routine checks. Even passengers who have not been hit by the bug will not be allowed on shore until further medical checks have been undertaken.

Mr Caruana said only 11 passengers were still ill on the ship. He said the decision to close the border was a "flagrant interference" with EU citizens' rights to freedom of movement.

Spain has difficult relations with Gibraltar at times. A Royal Navy nuclear submarine became the centre of an intense political and environmental row in 2000 when it had to spend 12 months in the territory for repairs to its leaking reactor coolant system.

The border was last shut 1985, a hangover from the Franco era imposed in response to Gibraltar's 1969 declaration of a new constitution as part of the dictator's campaign to reclaim the territory from Britain. London made its reopening after 16 years a condition for accepting Spanish entry into the then EEC.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office told the Reuters news agency: "We are in urgent contact with the Spanish authorities about this matter. There are ongoing contacts with the aim resolving it as quickly as possible."

Gibraltar frequently complains that Spanish authorities cause delays at the frontier to make life difficult for its inhabitants, who last year overwhelmingly rejected the prospect of joint British-Spanish sovereignty in a referendum organised by Mr Carauna's government.

The decision is also likely to affect the estimated 4,000 Spaniards who cross the border each day to work.

Passengers allowed off the ship today spoke of the conditions on board since the stomach bug stuck.

Ronald Martin, 40, with his wife Doreen and their two children, said: "The kids have not seen land since the 28th. They were confined to a cabin with no windows for three to four days with vomiting and diarrhoea. We were not allowed to leave the cabin."

Mrs Martin added: "They were sanitising the ship wearing suits and they looked like the blokes from ET, which was frightening for the kids.

"It makes you wonder why they are wearing the suits. We've not been ill but it was bad for the people who were. When we went to dinner the ship was like the Marie Celeste."

The 17-day Mediterranean cruise is scheduled to end on Thursday in Southampton.

David Dingle, managing director of P&O Cruises, was at the quayside as the Aurora came in.

"At the moment the mood of the passengers on board is good. We have greatly reduced the number of people that have the virus and can safely say we have arrested it," he said.

"The mood is good and upbeat and they are looking forward to their full day in Gibraltar."

The ship is due to set sail for Southampton later today at around 6pm.

[Semper Paratus]

The Love Boat it is not.