He is to be taken to the Boossa quarantine center later today (6), the navy spokesman said.
Sri Lanka Navy has dispatched a team to retrieve the sole Sri Lankan crew member aboard the MSC Magnifica cruise ship in Sri Lankan waters.
The navy spokesman said that the Sri Lanka Navy will take charge of the Sri Lankan national, who serves as a chef aboard the ship, on the instructions of the President.
He is to be brought to the Colombo Harbour by the navy and will be then sent to Boossa for quarantine.
It had been reported that permission had been granted for the Sri Lankan chef, Anura Herath, to disembark from the ship after he had requested the President and Prime Minister regarding this.
The cruise ship, which is en route to Italy from Australia, was scheduled to anchor near the Colombo Harbour this morning for refueling purposes while the Sri Lankan crew member was to be handed over during this stop.
Australian media reported last week that the MSC Magnifica cruise ship had set off from Fremantle, Western Australia only to be told by authorities in the UAE that it could not berth at Dubai.
The Magnifica, which insists it does not have any sick passengers, started to return to Fremantle but had been ordered by the WA Government to anchor at sea.
