Tuna Spanish breathe after a month stranded in the Seychelles by the Covid-19

Carlos Manso ChicoteSEGUIRMadrid Updated: Save Send news by mail electrónicoTu name *

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Begins to catch glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel for the boats that form the fleet of Spanish tuna company, who had stranded since June 23, in the Seychelles of suspected that among its crew members-Spanish, costamarfileños and senegalese – have positive Covid-19. In particular, according to the association, which brings together the owners OPAGAC, four of the seven vessels affected came out yesterday to fish after that, in a second round of PCR testing, 59 crew, Spanish and other 11 of the Ivory Coast and Senegal also confirmed the negative PCR performed in origin. However, there are still 37 people isolated and under observation.

The last weeks have been of uncertainty, according to confess to industry sources consulted, about a situation that is branded as “very funny” as with the entirety of the PCR performed in origin giving negative, when you arrive in Port Victoria – the capital of this archipelago africa – two african crew members developed symptoms and, in parallel, several rapid test performed on this port has detected several positives more. Both Spanish and costamarfileños and senegalese had subjected to PCR testing in their countries of origin , some borne by the public purse as in the case of the basques or in institutions paid by the shipowners, as in the case of Pasteur Institute in Dakar (Senegal) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

“it’s Been more than three weeks and we are talking of a time that if there had been so many positive would have developed diseases consistent with what detected” , say from the sector. They also point out that no crewman Spanish has fallen ill and that only two sailors africans have developed the virus and have been treated from the first moment. is “What I can’t do is be so irresponsible to put out to sea with the doubt” , added the sources, who ensure that ship owners are following the instructions of the Ministry of Health of Seychelles and the doctor that you have highlighted there, the Social Marine Institute (ISM), under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The owners regret that the problem has arisen precisely in the flights operated from Dakar and Abidjan , with crew members from these countries who have been working under Spanish flag, and it is remarkable that there has not been any problem with the aircraft operated from Spain. In total, calculated, organized the displacement of 1,500 for the relay of the crews.

In any case, the second batch of test PCR performed by the health authorities of Seychelles are undoing all the positives detected by the first rapid test . In the middle is an economic damage that is still tuna do not dare to post, and expect to recover with the catch of the second half of the year. The doubts are still planning on fishing activity, especially after the case of the ship argentino whose crew were positive by Covid – 19 after 35 days at sea. From the University Hospital Moncloa, its medical director, Carlos Zarco, pointed out as a reason of these discrepancies to a poor decision from the samples or that there has been “contact risk” in the case of the two crew members with symptoms.

“We are concerned to know what has happened, because within a month or two months we have to do the same operation (relay race) and, for example, to the French ships Seychelles has forced them to make changes to crew through the Island Meeting”, indicate the sources consulted.