News

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak aboard the 'Viking Polaris' during the voyage from April 11 to April 23, 2025. Out of 355 passengers, 28 reported symptoms consistent with acute gastroenteritis, including vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally, four crew members out of 260 were affected. The causative agent of the outbreak has not yet been identified, and stool specimens are being collected for testing. In response to the outbreak, Viking Expeditions implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols, isolated affected individuals, and consulted with the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) regarding sanitation procedures and illness reporting. The VSP is remotely monitoring the situation, including reviewing the ship's outbreak response and sanitation measures. The 'Viking Polaris' was scheduled to arrive in New York on April 23, concluding the 12-day voyage through Canada.

On the evening of April 21, the Port Authority of Syros was informed by the captain of the passenger 'Blue Star Myconos', which was operating a scheduled route from Thessaloniki to Lemnos, Agios Efstratios, Mytilene, Chios, Vathy, Karlovassi, Fournous, Evdilos, Mykonos, Syros and Piraeus, of the existence of passengers who, while holding a ticket with a destination to the port of Syros, were going to remain on board in order to disembark at the port of Piraeus. Upon the arrival at the port of Syros, a team of the Syros Port Authority, in the presence of ship officers, conducted a ticket check on the ship as well as a count of disembarked and embarked passengers, while prior to the arrival, relevant announcements had been made to inform the passengers. During the check, it was found that 290 passengers disembarked with a final destination of Syros and 985 passengers embarked with a destination of the port of Piraeus. The ship sailed at 11:05 p.m. instead of 9.50 p.m. as scheduled, for the port of Piraeus with a total of 1,862 passengers on board. The Ministry of Merchant Shipping and Island Policy granted approval, and the ferry 'Blue Star Paros' set sail from Syros to Piraeus on an emergency basis, to cover the coastal ferry needs of the passengers of the “'Blue Star Myconos', The ship embarked 155 passengers for the port of Piraeus.

On April 19, 2025, at about 9 a.m. the captain of the 'Sorlandet' requested assistance from the CROSS Jobourgm after one ofcrew member had fallen ill, when the training ship was sailing approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Flamanville, bound for the Netherlands. The lifeboat 'La Regnouse' of the Dielette SNSM station, took charge of the sick young sailor and two companions. It brought him back to the port of Dielette where he was treated by the firefighters initially. He was then transported to the Pasteur Hospital in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. On the morning of April 20, 2025, the SNSM brought the two companions back aboard the sail training ship.

On the afternoon of April 20, 2025, upon the arrival of the 'Flying Cat 3' at the port of Poros, the Port Authority of Poros was informed of the possible existence of an explosive device on board. The ferry was operating the scheduled route Spetses-Hydra-Poros-Piraeus. Immediately, Port Authority officials evacuated the passengers and crew from board, while at the same time the adjacent area of ​​the port was also blocked. In addition, a fire engine, an ambulance vehicle, as well as officials of the Poros Coast Guard were dispatched to the scene. Subsequently, a patrol boat transported members of the Explosive Devices Response Team of the Greek Coast Guard to the site, where a check of the ship, passengers and luggage was carried out with negative results. The ship then continued its route with 256 passengers and 13 crew members on board. A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Poros Port Authority.

Algerian coastguard units carried out a rescue operation off the coast of Cap Matifou on the evening of, April 18. Three British tourists were medevaced from the 'Spirit of Discovery'. The ship had sailed from Gibraltar and was heading for Malta. It issued a distress signal 16 nautical miles northwest of Cape Matifou after three British passengers were in a dangerous condition. The National Maritime Surveillance and Rescue Operations Center, part of the Coast Guard's Naval Forces Command, immediately launched a two-stage rescue and evacuation operation. An MS-66 helicopter belonging to the 560th Search and Rescue Helicopter Squadron (1st Military Region) and a lifeboat from the Dellys Territorial Coast Guard Group (1st Military Region) were deployed. The patients were taken off and subsequently transferred to the Mustapha Pacha University Hospital (CHU) for medical treatment.