INTERVIEW
In Paris, 180 complaints have just been filed by a collective of passengers who attack the Costa company, of the Carnival group, in particular for "manslaughter" and "failure to provide assistance". They denounce the management of the "Costa Magica", a liner turned back in early March from several Caribbean ports because of cases of coronavirus detected on board. From March 6 to 13, in a loop departing from Guadeloupe, the ship was refused to dock in most of the islands visited (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada or even Saint Lucia). Six people died from Covid-19 among the 2,300 passengers on board. Philippe Courtois, lawyer for the families of three of the victims, talks about the mistakes of the company at the microphone of Europe 1.
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The ports had already refused the boat to dock, before departure
"She failed in several ways, the first being of course that the boat was not to leave at the beginning of this cruise", explains the lawyer. "In the days leading up to this departure, the 'Costa Magica' had already been refused to make stops in the ports concerned by the excursions." Philippe Courtois cites the example of the port of Saint Lucia, where, two days before departure, the authorities had refused the ship to dock, "due to the non-compliance by the captain of health recommendations". "There was no help on board," he adds.
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The Italian company Costa has defended itself for having concealed or neglected information from the passengers of the "Costa Magica". "The collective that I represent comprises 850 people and passengers. They all have a different version of Costa," denounces Philippe Courtois. "We have videos where we see the staff refusing to answer the passengers' legitimate questions and it is the passengers themselves who inquire among themselves, with the local press."
Open cabins, closed restaurants
"The health situation on board was continuously monitored by medical staff who were in constant contact with the health authorities at the local level," retorted the cruise line on Monday. "This is completely false", denies the lawyer on Europe 1. "The prefect of Martinique ordered the commander to place all the passengers in their cabin and to refuse meals. But what is it? Did the captain? He left the cabins open and closed two restaurants out of three. Result: at meal times, the passengers rushed at the same time, in single file, to go to eat. "
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"Costa will have to be much more precise in what he has been able to bring", finally assures Philippe Courtois. "They don't add anything even though we have different videos and local information." At the same time, the group, which had ceased all its activities because of the epidemic, has just announced a resumption of cruises departing from Italian ports on September 6. Other trips are suspended until September 30.