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The Ruby Princess special inquiry has heard that the situation on sister ship Diamond Princess – quarantined in Japan in February due to a COVID-19 outbreak – had alerted crew to the risks of the virus.
Close to 1000 cases of coronavirus have since been linked to the Ruby Princess, and over 21 deaths, making it the single biggest source of infection in Australia.
Despite having only travelled from Australia to New Zealand and back, the tax-dodging Bermuda-based cruise liner company behind the Ruby Princess had vowed to dock the ship at Circular Quay by any means necessary.
Out of fear of being stuck in international waters with a COVID-19 outbreak onboard like hundreds of other cruises ships around the country, it seems that Australian medical and border authorities were blackmailed to let the ship into Sydney Harbour.
The inquiry has found that Carnival Cruises had demanded the NSW and Federal Government officials allow the Ruby Princess to dock, or else face the carnage of a ‘Speed 2’ scenario.
Speed 2: Cruise Control is a 1997 American action thriller film that tells the story of a Caribbean luxury cruise ship, which is hijacked by a terrorist and programs to crash into an oil tanker.
The cruise liner is eventually redirected to crash into the marina of an tourism island, in one of the more iconic scenes from this lacklustre sequel to the Sandra Bullock/ Keanu Reeves movie about the bus that couldn’t slow down.
It is believed that this exact scenario was the last resort for the Ruby Princess operators, if they had not been allowed to disembark their thousands of passengers, many infected with COVID-19, into the middle of Sydney’s CBD.
Reports show that Carnival Cruises had threatened to send the ship directly into the Circular Quay wharfs at full speed.
When asked about whether or not it was true that the entire nation had been blackmailed by a villianous cruise line company, a spokesperson for the NSW Government changed the subject and began a confusing monologue about whether primary schools are open for students.
The inquiry has also found that if Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had not been infected with COVID-19 himself at this time, the ship may have been torpedoed by Border Force. Such is Peter Dutton’s inability to negotiate in a rational and productive manner.
MORE TO COME.
